Announcement
DC5m United States political in english 100 articles, created at 2016-11-16 12:07 articles set mostly negative rate -10.0
1 0.0 Indonesia police name Jakarta governor as blasphemy suspect
(8.99/9) JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- Police on Wednesday named the Christian governor of the Indonesian capital as a suspect in a blasphemy investigation in a major 2016-11-16 03:09 5KB mynorthwest.com
2 0.0 Trump Breaks With Protocol, Heads To Dinner In Midtown Without Telling Press Contingent
(8.84/9) President-elect Donald Trump broke with protocol Tuesday night, departing Trump Tower and going to dinner without notifying his press contingent. 2016-11-16 00:19 5KB newyork.cbslocal.com
3 0.0 West Virginia mayor resigns after racist 'ape in heels' post about Michelle Obama (7.67/9) A West Virginia mayor has resigned after she posted a response to a racist comment about US first lady Michelle Obama on Facebook. 2016-11-16 02:36 4KB www.independent.ie
4 0.0 Syrian President: Trump could be a 'natural ally' Syrian President Bashar Assad says U. S. President-elect Donald Trump could be a "natural ally" to the Damascus government in its grinding civil war. 2016-11-16 05:28 1KB (7.64/9) www.charlotteobserver.com
5 0.0 Suicide bomber kills four in Kabul A suicide bomber on foot struck a government vehicle in Kabul on Wednesday, killing
(3.27/9) at least four people and wounding 11 others, officials said, in the lates... 2016-11-16 02:07 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk
6 0.0 Turkey appoints PM advisor as ambassador to Israel Turkey has appointed a foreign policy advisor to the prime minister as ambassador to Israel, sealing the normalisation of diplomatic relations after a six-year partial rupture, (3.12/9) President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday. 2016-11-16 05:00 2KB www.digitaljournal.com
7 0.0 A guide to the language of the 'alt-right' Stephen K. Bannon's fringe brand of conservatism is suddenly front and center, after he was named to be chief strategist in Donald Trump’s White House. As the chairman (3.12/9) of Breitbart News, Bannon turned the website into, in his own words, the "go-to platform... 2016-11-16 02:45 2KB www.latimes.com 8 0.0 Michigan State humbled by Kentucky, 69-48, at Madison Square Garden
(3.08/9) Bridges, Izzo come away embarrassed after sloppy performance drops Spartans to 0- 2 2016-11-16 03:50 5KB rssfeeds.freep.com
9 0.0 Two French tourists die at Great Barrier Reef Two French tourists have died while snorkelling at a popular tourist spot on the Great
(2.24/9) Barrier Reef in Australia, authorities and reports said on Wednesday. ... 2016-11-16 00:06 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk
10 0.0 Challenge of protecting Trump Tower for NYC officials (2.19/9) Now that Donald Trump is president-elect, the job of securing his home on Fifth Avenue is presenting an immense challenge to law enforcement. MSNBC's Cal Perry joins Brian Williams to discuss. 2016-11-15 23:13 869Bytes www.msnbc.com
11 0.0 Russia's Supreme Court sends Navalny's case for retrial
(2.14/9) Russia's Supreme Court has sent the case of an opposition leader for retrial following a ruling of the European Court of Human Rights. 2016-11-16 05:23 1KB www.charlotteobserver.com
12 0.0 Chevy Colorado ZR2 pickup: Off-road animal The midsize entry from Chevy’s performance division aims to rival the segment-leading Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro 2016-11-16 00:33 4KB rssfeeds.detroitnews.com (2.13/9)
13 0.0 GOP governors hope to move fast on making promised changes Republicans are still celebrating their election victories, but the country's GOP governors warned this week that they need to move fast on many of the changes that (2.06/9) have been promised to voters... 2016-11-16 05:02 4KB lasvegassun.com
14 0.0 Obama to tour ancient Greek Acropolis President Barack Obama is to tour Greece's most famous ancient monument, the Acropolis, and deliver a speech to the Greek people Wednesday as he winds up the (2.06/9) first leg of his final foreign tour as... 2016-11-16 05:02 6KB lasvegassun.com
15 0.0 South Africans protest against racism in coffin assault case
(2.06/9) Demonstrators have protested against racism outside a South African courthouse where two white men face assault charges for allegedly forcing a black man into a coffin and threatening to set him on fire. 2016-11-16 04:13 1KB www.charlotteobserver.com 16 0.0 Megyn Kelly reveals she shoplifted and threw house parties (2.06/9) After revealing behind-the-scenes clashes with president-elect Donald Trump, Megyn Kelly's new book details the her wild life before the fame, which includes shoplifting and house parties. 2016-11-16 02:42 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk
17 0.0 India's Currency Swap Sets off Endless Lines of Frustration
(2.06/9) The first people showed up at the bank long before dawn, forming a line in the cold and the smog and silently waiting for the chance to withdraw their own money. They left more than seven hours later, each holding the handful of bills, worth ... 2016-11-16 02:39 7KB abcnews.go.com
18 0.0 Police search for motive in killing of airport worker Oklahoma City police investigators worked to piece together why a man waited to gun down an airline employee outside Will Rogers World Airport on Tuesday in an ambush (2.06/9) that forced hundreds of travelers to take shelter and prompted authorities to shut down the state's busiest airport for hours... 2016-11-16 02:38 1KB article.wn.com
19 0.0 5 displaced by 2-alarm fire in San Francisco's Excelsior District (2.06/9) Five people were displaced by a two-alarm residential structure fire in San Francisco's Excelsior this evening, according to firefighters. 2016-11-16 00:31 1KB abc7news.com
20 0.0 ‘I thought, this is it’: one man’s escape from an Islamic State massacre (2.06/9) Blindfolded and bound, his knees pressing into the dirt, Imad resigned himself to what seemed inevitable. He was going to die.... 2016-11-16 00:27 5KB www.scmp.com
21 0.0 Some California leaders vow to resist deportations under Trump
(2.04/9) Trump immigration policies could clash with California immigration law as the president- elect vows to deport millions. 2016-11-16 00:01 9KB www.sacbee.com
22 0.0 Obama, on last trip to Europe, warns against nationalism, populism WASHINGTON/NEW YORK: US President Barack Obama, stung by the surprise (2.04/9) victory of Donald Trump in last week’s US election, warned on Tuesday against a rise in nationalism and said a backlash against globalisation had stoked populist movements at home and abroad. Obama said distrust of... 2016-11-16 02:27 934Bytes article.wn.com 23 0.0 Pie in the sky: New Zealand makes pizza drone delivery (2.02/9) The world's first pizza drone delivery was claimed on Wednesday by the New Zealand division of fast food giant Domino's, as it looks to grab a slice of a pot... 2016-11-16 03:05 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk
24 0.0 Thailand finds 33 new cases of Zika, says health ministry
(1.15/9) BANGKOK, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Thai health officials on Wednesday said 33 new Zika virus cases have been detected in the country as officials step up screening... 2016-11-16 00:50 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk
25 0.0 Rogers: Jurgen Klinsmann can't talk way out of USMNT's loss to Costa Rica
(1.07/9) After Tuesday's 4-0 defeat, there's four months to find an answer — or find a replacement. 2016-11-16 02:06 4KB rssfeeds.usatoday.com
26 0.0 Indian foreign minister preparing for kidney transplant
(1.05/9) India's foreign minister says she is undergoing medical tests for a transplant after suffering kidney failure. 2016-11-16 05:18 1KB www.charlotteobserver.com
27 0.0 John McCain cautions Donald Trump over U. S.- Russia "reset" (1.05/9) McCain, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, urged Trump and his incoming administration not to place undue faith in Putin's promises 2016-11-16 00:03 2KB www.cbsnews.com
28 0.0 Georgia Nicols horoscopes for Nov. 16, 2016 Caution: Avoid shopping or big decisions from 4:45 a.m... 2016-11-16 02:00 4KB chicago.suntimes.com
(1.04/9)
29 0.0 Donald Trump considers Ted Cruz for U. S. attorney general: report (1.03/9) Trump repeatedly referred to Cruz as "Lyin' Ted" throughout the contentious Republican primaries. 2016-11-16 05:15 2KB feeds.nydailynews.com
30 0.0 Prince William urges Vietnam to step up anti-wildlife trade
(1.02/9) Britain's Prince William on Wednesday urged Vietnamese leaders to step up the fight against trafficking in wildlife species, the main theme of his first visit to the communist country. 2016-11-16 05:43 2KB www.charlotteobserver.com 31 0.0 Beer? Wine? Or weed? Denver voters approve pot in bars
(1.02/9) A glass of wine with dinner? Or maybe some marijuana? 2016-11-16 05:39 4KB www.miamiherald.com
32 0.0 Trump's school choice expansion plan may face uphill battle
(1.02/9) School voucher programs in the nation's capital and Vice President-elect Mike Pence's home state of Indiana could serve as a blueprint for a Trump administration plan to use public money to enable disadvantaged students to attend the public or private school of their choice. 2016-11-16 04:58 6KB www.charlotteobserver.com
33 0.0 Obama's alumni-to-be contemplate life after the White House
(1.02/9) Their BlackBerrys are still buzzing, day and night. For the moment, aides to President Barack Obama still have world leaders to worry about, distant wars to help manage and decisions to make... 2016-11-16 04:58 5KB www.cbs46.com
34 0.0 Another top lawyer quits child sex abuse inquiry Another senior lawyer has reportedly quit the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual
(1.02/9) Abuse. Aileen McColgan has resigned from the investigation due to concern... 2016-11-16 04:36 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk
35 0.0 DA right on Zuma's tail DA leader Mmusi Maimane says the wheels of justice might move slowly, but this has not stopped him from laying another criminal case against President Jacob Zuma - this (1.02/9) time in relation to the state capture report. 2016-11-16 03:10 3KB www.timeslive.co.za
36 0.0 Saudi Arabia warns Trump on blocking oil imports Saudi Arabia has warned Donald Trump that the incoming U. S. president will risk the health of his country's economy if he acts on his election promise, the FT reports. (1.02/9) 2016-11-16 02:55 5KB www.cnbc.com
37 0.0 Pipeline Company Seeks Federal Court OK to Proceed With Plan (1.02/9) The company building the $3.8 billion Dakota Access oil pipeline has asked a federal judge's permission to circumvent President Barack Obama's administration and move ahead with a disputed section of the project in North Dakota, as opponents held protests across the country against the... 2016-11-16 02:13 5KB abcnews.go.com
38 0.0 Australia takes delivery of first P-8A anti-submarine jet Australia's prime minister on Wednesday took delivery of the air force's first Boeing P- (1.02/9) 8A surveillance and anti-submarine aircraft which will take a front-line role in preventing asylum seekers from reaching the Australian coast by boat. ... 2016-11-16 02:08 874Bytes article.wn.com 39 0.0 A likely beneficiary of Trump’s tough talk on trade: China (1.02/9) Expectations of the eventual demise of the suspended TPP deal have surged since Trump’s victory, a development that will help China’s trade expansion. 2016-11-16 02:00 1KB www.cnbc.com
40 0.0 Maine refugees to Trump: ‘Tell us … that we have a place in America’
(1.02/9) After seeing the success of a presidential campaign brimming with anti-immigrant rhetoric, even those with legal status seek some reassurance. 2016-11-16 01:48 8KB www.pressherald.com
41 0.0 Trump May Have Won, But Ford Is Still Moving Its Small Car Production to Mexico (1.02/9) Ford says it's just too expensive to make small cars in the United States. 2016-11-16 01:16 2KB feedproxy.google.com
42 0.0 Court takes up appeal in New Hampshire student killing case
(1.02/9) CONCORD, N. H. (AP) — The New Hampshire Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in the case of a man convicted of killing a University of New Hampshire studen... 2016-11-16 01:11 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk
43 0.0 North Georgia wildfire reaches more than 23,000 acres - Story (1.02/9) Fire officials said the Rough Ridge fire in Fannin County has now reached more than 23,000 acres and while it is 30% contained, it still has potential given the severe dry conditions. 2016-11-16 01:06 2KB www.fox5atlanta.com
44 0.0 Djokovic digs deep to repel Raonic onslaught LONDON: It has been missing for a while but Novak Djokovic rediscovered his warrior spirit to tame Canada’s Milos Raonic 7-6(6) 7-6(5) in a rivetting duel and guarantee (1.02/9) progress from his group at the ATP World Tour Finals on Tuesday. The 29... 2016-11-16 00:19 865Bytes article.wn.com
45 0.0 Poroshenko appeals to Trump for support in phone call
(1.02/9) Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko asked Donald Trump for support against "Russian aggression" during a congratulatory telephone conversation with the US president-elect on Tuesday. 2016-11-16 00:10 2KB www.digitaljournal.com 46 0.0 NPA's tarnished credibility must be quickly restored President Jacob Zuma's request that national director of public prosecutions Shaun Abrahams and two of his colleagues give reasons why they should not be suspended (1.01/9) places the spotlight firmly on the National Prosecuting Authority. 2016-11-16 03:57 2KB www.timeslive.co.za
47 0.0 Turkey eyes reset with U. S. under Trump, but honeymoon may be brief
(1.00/9) By Nick Tattersall and Orhan Coskun ANKARA, Nov 15 (Reuters) - In the hours after Donald Trump secured the U. S. presidency, supporters of Turkish President T... 2016-11-16 03:00 6KB www.dailymail.co.uk
48 0.0 Trillanes taunts Duterte over martial law remark Senator Antonio Trillanes IV taunted President Rodrigo Duterte for floating the idea of imposing martial law when he had already promised to step down should he fail to end (1.00/9) the drug menace in the country within three to six months. 2016-11-16 00:00 2KB newsinfo.inquirer.net
49 0.0 Evacuation of New Zealand town cut off by quake nearly over
(0.04/9) New Zealand military leaders said Wednesday they had almost completed the evacuation of more than 700 tourists and residents from a small coastal town, two days after a powerful earthquake cut... 2016-11-16 05:38 3KB www.cbs46.com
50 0.0 San Mateo students promote respect, understanding during protest that drew hundreds (0.04/9) Hundreds of students Tuesday stormed out of three San Mateo High schools to protest the results of the presidential election. 2016-11-16 02:00 2KB abc7news.com
51 0.0 Michigan remains No. 3 in CFP, Ohio State moves to No. 2
(0.04/9) Despite the loss at Iowa, the Wolverines (9-1) don't fall in the rankings. 2016-11-16 00:02 4KB rssfeeds.detroitnews.com
52 0.0 Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Nov 16 PRAGUE, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial markets on Wednesday. ALL TIMES GMT (0.02/9) (Cze... 2016-11-16 03:34 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk
53 0.0 Malaysia demands foreign banks commit to stop offshore ringgit trading - sources
(0.01/9) By Saikat Chatterjee and Jongwoo Cheon HONG KONG/SINGAPORE, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Malaysia's central bank is asking foreign banks to make a written commitment t... 2016-11-16 02:53 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 54 0.0 Stairway to heaven: Iranian artist’s wall mural turns heads BOSTON >> A giant mural by an Iranian artist making his U. S. debut is turning heads (0.01/9) in one of Boston’s busiest areas. The artwork by Mehdi Ghadyanloo titled “Spaces of Hope” is a stunning expression of optimism he hopes can lead to better understanding... 2016-11-16 02:37 1KB article.wn.com
55 0.0 Devin Brugman and Natasha Oakley flaunt natural curves in bikinis in Bondi Beach snaps (0.01/9) Holding hands, Devin and Natasha flaunted their natural curves as they smiled bright for the camera in candid snaps - not posted to Instagram. 2016-11-16 00:28 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk
56 0.0 The Latest: Turkish-backed fighters close to taking al-Bab
The Latest on the conflict in Syria (all times local): 2016-11-16 05:43 2KB www.charlotteobserver.com
57 0.0 Tony Abbott says 'moral panic' about climate change is 'over the top' Former Australian prime minister says the election of climate denier Donald Trump will help put the issue into perspective 2016-11-16 05:40 3KB www.theguardian.com
58 0.0 One killed in clashes between Palestinian forces, gunmen in Nablus casbah Nablus Governor Akram Rajoub says “criminals opened fire on positions of the security forces in the casbah and the governor’s office.” 2016-11-16 05:36 2KB www.jpost.com
59 0.0 UK does not yet have 'central plan' for Brexit, says former Foreign Office chief - Politics live Rolling coverage of all the day’s political developments as they happen, including Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn at PMQs 2016-11-16 05:36 4KB www.theguardian.com
60 0.0 The nation’s weather Weather Underground Forecast for Wednesday, November 16, 2016 An active weather pattern can be expected across the Northwest on Wednesday, while rain winds down over the Northeast. A low pressure system will trek east northeastward… 2016-11-16 05:31 2KB wtop.com
61 0.0 US elections a wake up call for ANC If the ANC continues to appear as disregarding the wishes of the people, and undermining the power of one single god, what happened to the Democrats in the US election in 2016 may happen to ANC in 2019. 2016-11-16 05:29 1KB www.news24.com 62 0.0 UN committee flags Iran over human rights UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A U. N. committee on Tuesday urged Iran to cease enforced disappearances and the widespread use of arbitrary detention and has expressed serious concern about severe limitations on freedom of thought, conscience… 2016-11-16 05:29 1KB wtop.com
63 0.0 Prosecutors summing up case in Wilders hate speech trial Dutch prosecutors have begun summing up their case against populist anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders in his hate-speech trial that pits freedom of expression against the Netherlands' anti-discrimination laws. 2016-11-16 05:28 1KB www.charlotteobserver.com
64 0.0 Britain STILL handing out millions of pounds to new superpowers India and China Following widespread concern that money was being frittered away, the new Aid Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) promised an overhaul to make the system 'deliver for our national interests'. 2016-11-16 05:27 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk
65 0.0 China's most-wanted corruption suspect surrenders after 13 years abroad BEIJING, Nov 16 (Reuters) - China's top most-wanted corruption suspect returned to China from the United States on Wednesday and turned herself in, the rulin... 2016-11-16 05:10 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk
66 0.0 Commuter Dude: Flat tires lead to drain repair ATLANTA – It took several tries, but the Georgia Department of Transportation may have finally neutralized a tire busting storm drain. 2016-11-16 05:07 2KB rssfeeds.11alive.com
67 0.0 How to ditch the tourist traps and explore LA like a local A-Lister From Los Angeles' best hush-hush beauty gurus to the legendary Chateau Marmont - MailOnline Travel sampled more than 30 establishments to uncover the best of Hollywood. 2016-11-16 05:06 19KB www.dailymail.co.uk
68 0.0 China bans 'fatty' Kim Jong Un nickname on websites Chinese websites are censoring "Kim Fatty the Third," a nickname widely used to disparage North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, after officials from his country reportedly conveyed their displeasure in a meeting with their Chinese counterparts. 2016-11-16 05:03 1KB www.charlotteobserver.com 69 0.0 US forces may have committed war crimes THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) -- U. S. armed forces and the CIA may have committed war crimes by torturing detainees in Afghanistan, the International Crimina 2016-11-16 05:02 6KB mynorthwest.com
70 0.0 Stories of Refugees, Part IV: Out of Syria Mohanad Hussein, his young wife, Hadeel, and their toddler Nusreen arrived in San Francisco 22 days before I met them. “She is 18 months and two days,” Hadeel said smiling … Mohanad Hussein, his young wife, Hadeel, and their toddler Nusreen arrived... 2016-11-16 05:00 6KB www.sfexaminer.com
71 0.0 Thousands of kids dying in northeast Nigeria, says survey Thousands of kids dying in northeast Nigeria, says survey Associated Press - 16 November 2016 03:18-05:00 News Topics: General news, Child and teen health, Emergency management, War and unrest, Health, Government and politics People, Places and Companies:... 2016-11-16 04:58 1000Bytes article.wn.com
72 0.0 Netflix, NHK Partnership on ‘Trial’ TOKYO — Netflix and Japan’s public broadcaster NHK are partnering on a four-part historical drama to be broadcast next month. NHK will broadcast “Tokyo Trials” about the post-WWII court heari… 2016-11-16 04:51 1KB variety.com
73 0.0 Trump's lobbyist ban complicates administration hiring Donald Trump's promise to "drain the swamp" of Washington might make it difficult for him to fill his administration. 2016-11-16 04:49 1KB www.charlotteobserver.com
74 0.0 Serbia police arrest 10 for arms trafficking; weapons found Serbian police have arrested 10 people suspected of arms-trafficking and confiscated a large quantity of weapons, including rocket launchers and automatic guns. 2016-11-16 04:38 1KB www.charlotteobserver.com
75 0.0 School removal of Obama mural on Election Day sparks outcry A Connecticut school superintendent has apologized to parents who are upset after a mural that featured a silhouette of President Barack Obama was removed from an elementary school on Election Day. 2016-11-16 04:36 1KB www.washingtontimes.com
76 0.0 Housing activists block access to Public Works department Several activists from Ndifuna Ukwazi and Reclaim the City sat in at the Department of Transport and Public Works building in Dorp Street on Tuesday‚ blocking access to the building for about two hours. 2016-11-16 04:34 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 77 0.0 DAC Group acquires Edinburgh-based digital agency Ambergreen Edinburgh-based digital agency Ambergreen has been acquired by North American digital media agency DAC Group for an undisclosed fee. 2016-11-16 04:33 2KB www.thedrum.com
78 0.0 Three common arguments for preserving the Electoral College – and why they’re wrong How did we get here, and how do we democratize presidential elections? 2016-11-16 04:23 4KB www.salon.com
79 0.0 Obama to outline vision of democracy in a Trump world US President Barack Obama will Wednesday sketch out his vision of democracy at a time of mounting global populism, seeking to soothe European allies anxious over a Donald Trump presidency. 2016-11-16 04:20 4KB www.digitaljournal.com
80 0.0 City considers early closing hours for Walnut Creek bar over public disturbances
A longtime East Bay bar is under fire from city officials and police. 2016-11-16 04:14 2KB abc7news.com
81 0.0 China Ex-Vice Mayor Wanted for Corruption Returns From US A former Chinese vice mayor who was among the most wanted for alleged corruption has been arrested upon returning home in the latest success for President Xi Jinping's fight against graft in government. Yang Xiuzhu arrived in Beijing on Wednesday after being refused asylum in the U. S.,... 2016-11-16 04:03 1KB abcnews.go.com
82 0.0 Scoop: Old couple alert: Fisher and Ford had ‘Star Wars’ affair It’s official — 40 years after the fact: Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford had an affair during the making of “Star Wars.” The actress confessed that the pair had a … It’s official -- 40 years after the fact: Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford had... 2016-11-16 04:01 3KB www.sfexaminer.com
83 0.0 Paris climate deal at risk unless countries step up plans, says watchdog International Energy Agency chief says current government pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions are inadequate 2016-11-16 04:00 7KB www.theguardian.com 84 0.0 Bursting the Facebook bubble: we asked voters on the left and right to swap feeds Social media has made it easy to live in filter bubbles, sheltered from opposing viewpoints. So what happens when liberals and conservatives trade realities? 2016-11-16 04:00 10KB www.theguardian.com
85 0.0 People-smuggling: new photos boost claim that wrong man is on trial in Italy Exclusive: Pictures seem to show that man on trial is Medhanie Tesfamariam Berhe rather than smuggler Medhanie Yehdego Mered 2016-11-16 04:00 7KB www.theguardian.com
86 0.0 Alex Nunns' new book is insightful – but can't settle the myth of Corbyn The Beauty and the Beast trailer is here, and it looks like a scene-for-scene remake of the cartoon Corbyn gets the court biography treatment in The Candidate, yet the book has little to say about the world beyond Labour's left. 2016-11-16 11:40 7KB www.newstatesman.com
87 0.0 Moldova: Pro-Russia presidential candidate declares victory CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) -- A pro-Russia candidate has declared victory in Moldova's presidential election, opening up a commanding lead in the former Soviet 2016-11-16 03:59 4KB mynorthwest.com
88 0.0 Faith Muthambi: No need to advertise Hlaudi's executive post Hlaudi Motsoeneng was simply reinstated to his former position and there was no need to advertise the post, according to Communications Minister Faith Muthambi. 2016-11-16 03:54 2KB www.fin24.com
89 0.0 Thiem keeps his Tour Finals semifinal hopes alive Australia's Dominic Thiem kept alive his hopes of reaching the semifinals of the ATP Tour Finals with a 6-3 1-6 6-4 victory over Gael Monfils yesterday. 2016-11-16 03:46 2KB www.timeslive.co.za
90 0.0 Risk of genocide as Burundi heads for hell Buruni's brutal regime has set the small central African country on a 2016-11-16 03:43 3KB www.timeslive.co.za 91 0.0 Park Bo-Gum Asia Fan Meeting: Actor’s Agency Confirms Tour Dates The countdown has begun for Park Bo-gum’s fan meetings across Asia. Last week, Blossom Entertainment, the actor’s agency, announced that Park Bo-gum will be 2016-11-16 03:42 2KB www.inquisitr.com
92 0.0 With no army or basic services, C. Africa leader eyes donors Though elected early this year, Central Africa's new president has no army to command or civil service to call on. He still fills in as a university maths lecturer due to lack of teaching staff. 2016-11-16 03:40 3KB www.digitaljournal.com
93 0.0 ‘We’re happy with Faf‚ but AB is still the captain’: Zondi Despite his runaway success as South Africa’s Test and one-day captain Faf du Plessis could soon find himself out of a job. 2016-11-16 03:31 2KB www.timeslive.co.za
94 0.0 AS IT HAPPENED: Panayiotou murder trial - court proceedings delayed The ongoing Panayiotou murder trial is expected to continue after the testimony of state witness, 'alleged middleman' and bouncer at Christopher Panayiotou's nightclub, Luthando Siyoni, set tongues wagging. Court will reconvene at 12:00. 2016-11-16 03:23 952Bytes www.news24.com
95 0.0 DSWD, CHR oppose lowering age of criminal liability Non-government organizations, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) joined forces in opposing the proposal in Congress to lower the age of criminal liability to nine years old from the current 15. 2016-11-16 00:00 6KB newsinfo.inquirer.net
96 0.0 Judge to mull latest request to delay Trump University trial SAN DIEGO (AP) -- A federal judge on Tuesday scheduled a hearing to consider President-elect Donald Trump's request to delay a civil fraud trial involving 2016-11-16 03:12 3KB mynorthwest.com
97 0.0 PRESS DIGEST - Bulgaria - Nov 16 SOFIA, Nov 16 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch... 2016-11-16 03:09 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk
98 0.0 Police warn of robberies in Douglas Police are warning residents of three recent robberies in the Douglas neighborhood on the South Side. 2016-11-16 03:06 1KB chicago.suntimes.com 99 0.0 San Jose city council votes to raise minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2019 Thousands of the lowest paid workers in the South Bay will get a 50 percent pay raise. 2016-11-16 03:00 902Bytes abc7news.com
100 0.0 Kerry arrives at climate negotiations overshadowed by Trump By Yeganeh Torbati MARRAKESH, Morocco, Nov 16 (Reuters) - U. S. Secretary of State John Kerry hoped his presence at a Marrakesh conference to decide the finer... 2016-11-16 03:00 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk Articles
DC5m United States political in english 100 articles, created at 2016-11-16 12:07
1 /100 0.0 Indonesia police name Jakarta governor as blasphemy suspect (8.99/9) JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Police on Wednesday named the Christian governor of the Indonesian capital as a suspect in a blasphemy investigation in a major test of the Muslim-majority nation’s reputation for religious tolerance.
Earlier this month, Jakarta was rocked by a massive protest by conservative Muslims against the governor. One person died and dozens were injured in rioting. Hard-liners have threatened more protests if Ahok isn’t arrested.
Police announced at a news conference that the popular governor, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, cannot leave the country while the investigation is underway.
However, they said he is not being detained because investigators and religious experts were sharply divided over whether the comments at issue were blasphemous.
“After long discussions, we reached a decision that the case should be tried in an open court,” said National Police chief detective Ari Dono.
The accusation of blasphemy against Ahok, an ethnic Chinese and Christian who is an ally of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, has galvanized Jokowi’s political opponents in the nation of 250 million where about 90 percent of people are Muslims, but five other religions are also recognized by the state.
Jokowi canceled an official visit to Australia because of the rioting and has spent the past two weeks rallying the political, religious and security establishments behind him.
It has also been a gift to politicians vying against Ahok, who is seeking a second term as Jakarta governor in elections in February. Among them is the son of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a former president. Yudhoyono courted controversy by calling for Ahok’s arrest and saying he supported the Nov. 4 protest.
The Islamic Defenders Front, a vigilante group that wants to impose Shariah law, began demanding Ahok’s arrest after a video circulated online in which he joked to an audience about a passage in the Quran that could be interpreted as prohibiting Muslims from accepting non- Muslims as leaders. The governor has apologized for the comment.
Munarman, a spokesman for the Front who goes by one name, said the group is still demanding Ahok’s arrest because he could flee or destroy evidence. “The offense has caused unrest across the country,” he said. “We will continue to stage protests until he is arrested.”
National Police chief Tito Karnavian said that barring Ahok from leaving the country is the appropriate “maximum” step to take at present.
“If there are pressures for his arrest, we need to question if that is because of other motivations,” he said. “Once again, there should be no parties who pressure for his arrest. Let’s think rationally and logically.”
Sumarno, chief of Jakarta’s Election Commission, said Ahok is not barred from competing in the gubernatorial election.
Ahok is first Christian governor of Jakarta in half a century and the first ethnic Chinese to run the sprawling chaotic city that is one of the world’s 10 largest urban areas.
He is popular with the city’s middle class, but has made enemies from a tough stance against corruption and an urban program that has evicted thousands of the city’s poorest from slums.
Ahok thanked police for dealing with the case in a professional manner.
“We still have chance to take part in the election, therefore, for our supporters, please come to polling stations and cast ballots for our victory in the first round,” he told reporters at his campaign center. “That is what we hope to show, a good democratic process for our nation.”
The anti-Ahok movement, which has attracted moderates as well as hard-line elements as the city election approached, has also overflowed with slurs based on race.
The vulnerability of Indonesia’s tiny Chinese minority remains a raw issue in the country. In the chaos that engulfed Indonesia in May 1998 amid the Asian financial crisis, mobs in Jakarta and other cities targeted Chinese businesses and individuals, killing many.
Blasphemy is a criminal offense in Indonesia. Amnesty International documented 106 convictions between 2004 and 2014 with some individuals imprisoned for up to five years.
___
Associated Press writer Ali Kotarumalos contributed to this report.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Jakarta's Christian governor Jakarta governor Basuki Indonesia police proceed Indonesia Police Name to face blasphemy trial over 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama with blasphemy case Jakarta Governor as Islam insult claim named in blasphemy case against Christian governor Blasphemy Suspect theguardian.com article.wn.com article.wn.com abcnews.go.com Indonesian police investigate Jakarta governor named Indonesia Says Jakarta’s Indonesian police name Jakarta governor for suspect in blasphemy case Christian Governor Is governor of the country’s blasphemy dailymail.co.uk Suspected of Blasphemy capital Jakarta as suspect in upi.com nytimes.com blasphemy investigation article.wn.com
2016-11-16 03:09 By Associated mynorthwest.com
2 /100 0.0 Trump Breaks With Protocol, Heads To Dinner In Midtown Without Telling Press Contingent (8.84/9) NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — President-elect Donald Trump broke with protocol Tuesday night, departing Trump Tower and going to dinner without notifying his press contingent.
Reporters spotted Trump’s motorcade and followed it to the 21 Club, 21 W. 52nd St. CBS2 is told Trump had dinner there with his family.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump had a visit from his former foe, U. S. Sen. and former Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
Trump on Tuesday also huddled with Vice President-elect Mike Pence to discuss decisions such as filling out Trump’s Cabinet , including top national security posts.
Trump spokesman Jason Miller cast the meeting with Pence as a significant step in the process toward nominating Cabinet secretaries.
“If the vice president-elect is getting together with the president-elect to discuss names, I would say it’s getting serious,” Miller said.
Trump said in a tweet Tuesday night that no one knows the Cabinet finalists but he.
Very organized process taking place as I decide on Cabinet and many other positions. I am the only one who knows who the finalists are!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 16, 2016
Giuliani and former UN Ambassador John Bolton are said to be favorites for Secretary of State.
Giuliani, 72, would be an out-of-box choice to serve as secretary of State. As a former mayor, federal prosecutor and top Trump adviser, Giuliani is known for his hardline law-and-order views.
But some grumble about Giuliani’s work for foreign governments – including Qatar in the Middle East – and his support for a war that the president-elect opposed.
“The thing Donald Trump said over and over again — he opposed the Iraq War, and he learned that lesson, that regime change in the Middle East is not a good idea — I don’t see Giuliani coming out with statements like that,” said U. S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky).
Bolton has years of U. S. foreign policy experience, but he has also raised eyebrows with some of his hawkish stances, including a 2015 New York Times op-ed in which he advocated bombing Iran to halt the country’s development of nuclear weapons.
A spokeswoman for Giuliani did not immediately respond to a request for comment about his interest in the job. But during an appearance in Washington late Monday, Giuliani said that Bolton would be a “very good choice” to serve as secretary of state. Asked if there was anyone better, Giuliani replied: “Maybe me, I don’t know.”
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker also expressed interest in the State Department post and said his team has had “some conversations” with Trump officials. However, the Tennessee Republican told MSNBC there were others who were more “central” to Trump’s presidential campaign for the post.
Former Trump campaign finance chair Steve Mnuchin was recommended as treasury secretary.
Trump was also considering tapping Richard Grenell as U. S. ambassador to the United Nations, a move that would bring some experience and diversity to his nascent administration. Grenell, who served as U. S. spokesman at the U. N. under President George W. Bush, would be the first openly gay person to fill a Cabinet-level foreign policy post.
As for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, he suggested that he is planning to remain governor of New Jersey rather than joining the administration.
The transition planning comes amid an intense and extended backlash from Trump’s decision on Sunday to appoint Steve Bannon , a man celebrated by the white nationalist movement, to serve as his chief strategist and senior adviser.
Until joining Trump’s campaign this summer, Bannon led a website that appealed to the so- called “alt-right,” a movement often associated with efforts on the far right to preserve “white identity,” oppose multiculturalism and defend “Western values.”
Trump also announced Sunday that Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus will serve as White House chief of staff.
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.) Trump breaks protocol - Trump ditches press to eat Trump family dinner raises Trump breaks protocol _ again - on press access dinner out with family issues on press access again _ on press access article.wn.com cbsnews.com charlotteobserver.com miamiherald.com
Trump Ditches His Press Trump breaks protocol — Trump breaks protocol on Donald Trump goes out for Pool, Heads to the 21 Club again — on press access press access again New York dinner without feedproxy.google.com lasvegassun.com article.wn.com telling press – video theguardian.com
2016-11-16 00:19 newyork.cbslocal.com
3 /100 0.0 West Virginia mayor resigns after racist 'ape in heels' post about Michelle Obama (7.67/9) A West Virginia mayor has resigned after she posted a response to a racist comment about US first lady Michelle Obama on Facebook.
Clay town council accepted mayor Beverly Whaling's resignation and said it would act quickly to name a replacement for the remaining three years of her term.
The resignation came after another woman whose racist post Ms Whaling responded to was placed on leave as director of Clay County Development.
Council member Jason Hubbard issued a brief statement condemning the "horrible and indecent" post and said racism and intolerance "isn't what this community is about".
He apologised on behalf of the town to Michelle Obama and anyone who was offended.
"This community is a helpful, hopeful, empathetic and God-loving community," Ms Hubbard said. "Please don't judge the entire community for one or two individual acts. "
Clay county development director Pamela Ramsey Taylor made the post following Republican Donald Trump's election as president, saying of the incoming first lady Melania Trump: "It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I'm tired of seeing a Ape in heels. "
Whaling responded: "Just made my day Pam. "
Town council member Joyce Gibson said that after news of the post circled the globe, the small office's voicemail system quickly filled to capacity with irate callers.
An online campaign calling for Taylor and Whaling to resign drew tens of thousands responses.
Ms Gibson wants anyone who judges the town to "come see us. Spend a day with us".
The non-partisan town council has five members, plus the town recorder and mayor. Ms Whaling's seat was empty during the meeting in a small office attended by a few local residents along with several journalists and some people from outside the area who wanted to see justice served.
Annie Thacker of Barrackville drove 117 miles to the meeting.
"I saw what was happening in small town West Virginia," she said. "I'm from small town West Virginia. I wanted to see hate put down in West Virginia, especially after this election cycle. Everyone's watching. "
Lish Greiner of Belpre, Ohio, said she had volunteered during flood cleaning in West Virginia over the summer and returned for the town council meeting because "I will not tolerate hate in my home and in my area".
Ms Whaling earlier issued a written apology to news media outlets saying her comment was not intended to be racist.
"I was referring to my day being made for change in the White House! I am truly sorry for any hard feeling this may have caused! Those who know me know that I'm not in any way racist! "
The non-profit Clay County Development provides services to elderly and low-income residents in Clay County. It is funded through state and federal grants and local fees. It is not affiliated with the town of Clay, which is about 50 miles east of Charleston.
The uproar occurred as the town of about 500 residents is still trying to recover from severe flooding in late June along the nearby Elk River. Clay County has also been hit by hundreds of lay-offs in the coal industry this decade.
Ms Gibson was asked what was worse, the flood or the backlash from the Facebook post.
"I'll have to think about that," she said. "This (backlash) will go away. "
Last week in Kentucky, Republican Dan Johnson won state House of Representatives seat from Bullitt Count despite a series of posts he put on Facebook depicting president Barack Obama and his wife as monkeys.
And last month in West York, Pennsylvania, the town council accepted the resignation of Republican Mayor Charles Wasko after an uproar over racist posts on his Facebook page, including two depicting apes with captions referring to Barack Obama and his family. West Virginia town tries to West Virginia town tries to West Virginia town tries to 'Ape in Heels': West Virginia move past Michelle move past Michelle Obama move past Michelle Obama mayor quits after racist Obama post post post - News9.com - comment about Michelle lasvegassun.com charlotteobserver.com Oklahoma City, OK - News, Obama Weather, Video and Sports article.wn.com news9.com
Mayor in W. Virginia resigns Mayor resigned in West Mayor in West Virginia West Virginia mayor resigns after racist post on Michelle Virginia after empathizing resigns after racist Obama after racist Michelle Obama Obama with racist comment blaming post post chicago.suntimes.com Michelle Obama on post-gazette.com article.wn.com Facebook roundnews.com
2016-11-16 02:36 Press Association www.independent.ie
4 /100 0.0 Syrian President: Trump could be a 'natural ally'
(7.64/9) Syrian President Bashar Assad says U. S. President-elect Donald Trump could be a "natural ally" to the Damascus government in its grinding civil war.
In an interview published Tuesday with the Portuguese RTP news agency, Assad said his government would need to see if the incoming administration is "genuine" about fighting "terrorists" in Syria.
International observers say Syrian and allied Russian forces regularly strike hospitals, schools, and other civilian infrastructure in opposition-held areas, against international law. Assad maintains he is fighting terrorism.
In the run-up to last week's presidential election, Trump said he was ready to work with Assad to fight against the Islamic State group in Syria.
More than 300,000 people have been killed in the 5-1/2 year-long Syrian civil war. Syrian President: Trump Philippine president wants to Philippine president wants to Philippine President Wants could be a ‘natural ally’ be friends with Trump, Putin be friends with Trump, Putin to Be Friends With Trump, wtop.com lasvegassun.com thenewstribune.com Putin abcnews.go.com
Syria's Assad looks for Trump as President — Becoming a new citizen a Syrian President Assad says ''anti-terror ally'' in Donald traditional, rouge, failed or week after Donald Trump Donald Trump a natural ally Trump authoritarian wins the presidency if he fights 'terror' article.wn.com digitaljournal.com latimes.com article.wn.com
2016-11-16 05:28 The Associated www.charlotteobserver.com
5 /100 (3.27/9) 0.0 Suicide bomber kills four in Kabul A suicide bomber on foot struck a government vehicle in Kabul on Wednesday, killing at least four people and wounding 11 others, officials said, in the latest attack in the Afghan capital. No insurgent group has so far claimed responsibility for the bombing during morning rush hour, which comes as the Taliban are intensifying nationwide attacks on the Western-backed government. "A suicide attacker on foot targeted a vehicle belonging to security forces in downtown Kabul, leaving four people dead and 11 others wounded," interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told AFP. He added that two security officials were among the dead in the bombing, which occurred close to the defence ministry. Another security official told AFP the targeted vehicle belonged to the government's VIP protection unit. The assault underscores rising insecurity in Afghanistan nearly two years after US-led NATO forces formally ended their combat operations. The attack comes after four Americans were killed on Saturday in a suicide bombing inside Bagram Airfield -- the largest US military base in Afghanistan -- in a major breach of security. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing, which left 16 other US service members and a Polish soldier wounded. And last Thursday, a powerful Taliban truck bomb struck the German consulate in northern Mazar-i-Sharif city, killing at least six people and wounding more than 100 others. Suicide bomber attacks Suicide bomber 'kills at least Afghanistan: Suicide bomber Afghan officials say suicide vehicle in Kabul, killing four four' in Kabul kills 4 near Defense Ministry bomber kills 4 in Kabul article.wn.com article.wn.com in Kabul article.wn.com cnn.com
Afghan Officials Say Suicide Bomber Kills 4 in Kabul abcnews.go.com
2016-11-16 02:07 Afp www.dailymail.co.uk
6 /100 0.0 Turkey appoints PM advisor as ambassador to Israel
(3.12/9) Turkey has appointed a foreign policy advisor to the prime minister as ambassador to Israel, sealing the normalisation of diplomatic relations after a six-year partial rupture, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
The deadly 2010 storming by Israeli commandos of a Turkish ship trying to break the naval blockade of Gaza prompted Ankara to expel the Israeli envoy and cease all military cooperation with Israel.
Israel and Turkey agreed in June to normalise ties after the Jewish state offered an apology over the raid, a payout of $20 million in compensation, and permission for Turkish aid to reach Gaza through Israeli ports.
"We are appointing our Prime Minister's (Binali Yildirim) foreign affairs advisor Mr Kemal Okem as ambassador (to Israel)," Erdogan said before leaving on a trip to Pakistan.
"I believe he started office yesterday (Tuesday)," he added.
Israel also nominated a new ambassador to Turkey on Tuesday, with Eitan Naeh formally selected by an Israeli government committee.
Contacted by AFP, an official for the Israeli embassy in Ankara said the new Israeli envoy has not yet started but he is expected to take up office soon once the approval process is finalised. Naeh is the current deputy head of mission at the Israeli embassy in London.
The 2010 raid killed 10 Turkish activists, plunging relations to an all-time low with Erdogan on one occasion even accusing Israel of "keeping Hitler's spirit alive".
But the two sides are already working to bring cooperation back to former levels and are holding talks for building an ambitious project for a pipeline to pump Israeli gas to Turkey and Europe.
The state-run Anadolu news agency said on Tuesday that Israeli and Turkish energy officials held their first working meeting on the project last week.
Turkey appoints PM advisor Turkey names envoy to Israel names new as ambassador to Israel: Israel as 2 nations end spat ambassador to Turkey Erdogan charlotteobserver.com jpost.com dailymail.co.uk
2016-11-16 05:00 www.digitaljournal.com
7 /100 (3.12/9) 0.0 A guide to the language of the 'alt-right' Stephen K. Bannon's fringe brand of conservatism is suddenly front and center, after he was named to be chief strategist in Donald Trump’s White House. As the chairman of Breitbart News, Bannon turned the website into, in his own words, the "go-to platform of the alt-right” – a far- right ideology that promotes white nationalism, racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, transphobia and misogyny.
This week, we examined the general worldview of the alt-right. But how can you identify someone who considers themselves part of it? Like most groups, the alt-right has its own code words and slang. Here are some terms they use, and other hallmarks to look out for:
LAPD will not help deport immigrants under Trump , nearly 4,000 students from L. A. Unified schools left class to protest Trump , the L. A. Auto Show kicks off today , and the porn industry predicts a bounce-back in L. A.
CSU students protest of a controversial proposal to increase tuition for the first time in six years. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Honda's Uni-Cub is a motorized personal mover developed by the company's robotics group in Japan. Its lithium-ion battery can take the 18-pound Cub four miles at 4 mph, but it's not available for sale yet.
Hundreds of Los Angeles-area students walked out of their classrooms Monday to protest President-elect Donald Trump .
Allyson Felix hopes to help Los Angeles stay in the running for 2024 Olympics
Allyson Felix hopes to help Los Angeles stay in the running for 2024 Olympics
Twitter suspends alt-right How Bannon coaxed Trump Glenn Beck: The alt-right is accounts in alt-right shift truly terrifying rssfeeds.usatoday.com article.wn.com rss.cnn.com
2016-11-16 02:45 Los Angeles www.latimes.com
8 /100 0.0 Michigan State humbled by Kentucky, 69-48, at Madison Square Garden (3.08/9) NEW YORK – Miles Bridges turned the ball over.
Miles Bridges rotated too slowly on defense.
Miles Bridges missed a tomahawk dunk.
He’s human. He’s a freshman. And he and Michigan State were no match for No. 2 Kentucky Tuesday night in the Champions Classic.
The 13th-ranked Spartans endured much of the same inconsistency they experienced in Friday’s season-opener against Arizona, with stretches of strong play and longer spurts of mistakes. And Kentucky slowly pulled away to a 69-48 victory.
“I felt really embarrassed,” Bridges said after finishing with more turnovers than points in his second college game. “I felt like I let my whole team down. … I feel like I just have to keep getting better.”
Kentucky (3-0) outscored MSU, 6-2, to close the first half and then opened the second period with an 11-5 run. The Spartans (0-2) never got within double digits after that.
MSU opens its home slate with a pair of 7 p.m. games at Breslin Center this weekend, against Mississippi Valley State on Friday and Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday.
After scoring 21 points in his debut, Bridges finished with a more pedestrian six points on 2 of 11 shooting and 12 rebounds. However, the 6-foot-7 phenom from Flint also committed nine turnovers and looked out of sync all night against the long, swarming Wildcats defenders.
► Related : Couch: MSU must go younger to get better When Tom Izzo pulled him out of the game with about 45 seconds left, Bridges put his arm around his coach and his head on his shoulder in frustration. He told Izzo he was “sorry” for his performance and “promised him it wouldn’t happen again.”
Izzo had a message for Bridges as well: “I said, ‘Miles, welcome to the real world. No more high school. You’re gonna get doubled, you’re gonna get this, you’re gonna get that. Just register and learn, because this is part of the process.’”
The Spartans shot just 32.8% for the game and committed 20 turnovers and 20 personal fouls. No one scored in double figures as Kenny Goins and Cassius Winston led MSU with nine points each.
MSU did outrebound the taller Wildcats, 44-40, for the game while holding the Wildcats to 38.3% shooting for the game.
“I’m actually a little embarrassed,” Izzo said, echoing Bridges. “I felt like we competed defensively for the most part. We just didn’t do anything offensively. We looked like a team that was an AAU team – just went one-on-one, didn’t move the ball, got frustrated.”
► Related : Notes: Freshmen struggle under bright lights vs. Kentucky
Kentucky freshman Malik Monk led all scorers with 23 points, including seven three-pointers. Sophomore Isaiah Briscoe added 21 for the Wildcats.
Many of the same problems that plagued the Spartans against Arizona in Honolulu followed them to Madison Square Garden – only this time, Bridges struggled to bail them out, in large part because of the attention Kentucky focused on stopping him.
“We did a couple things knowing that if he got going, he was going to be a beast,” said Kentucky coach John Calipari, adding that he scouted MSU’s game films against Arizona and Saginaw Valley State to scheme for Bridges. “He had 12 rebounds, guys. Just the way we played, we made it very difficult for him to just play basketball. And Tom will use that and show him, and they’ll come up with stuff.”
MSU kept things close for the first six-plus minutes. Matt McQuaid’s three-pointer tied Kentucky, 12-12, before the Wildcats went on a 14-2 run, capped by Monk’s fourth three-pointers in the half.
But like they did in Hawaii, the Spartans rode waves of good play with their young lineup. Nick Ward got a rebound putback, Joshua Langford drained a pair of three-pointers and Bridges drove baseline for a two-hand dunk. It was part of a 4-minute, 10-2 run that got MSU back within four points.
But defensive lapses continued. A well-defended lob for Langford turned into a layup for Briscoe in transition, and the Kentucky sophomore sliced between a pair of Spartans as time expired to send the Wildcats into the locker room with a 34-26 cushion.
Bridges, especially, typified the up-and-down play of MSU in the first half. He grabbed seven rebounds and blocked two shots. He also was just 1 of 4 from the floor for three points, missing a pair of three-point tries, and turned the ball over five times.
Bridges opened the second half with a three-pointer, but Kentucky dashed off nine of the next 11 points, capped by another Monk triple to build its lead to 45-31.
“I knew college basketball was difficult,” Bridges said. “I wasn’t listening to (Tum Tum Nairn) and Iz when they were telling me to stay calm, slow down and let the game come to me. I was trying to force thing, and that’s how I feel like turned the ball over a lot.
“I just gotta listen to my leaders on our team and trust our offense in the process.”
Contact Chris Solari: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Download our Spartans Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!
Coach K breaks down Malik Monk, Isaiah Briscoe Kentucky 69, Michigan State Duke's loss to Kansas at lead No. 2 Kentucky over 48 Madison Square Garden No. 13 Michigan State rssfeeds.detroitnews.com newsobserver.com upi.com
2016-11-16 03:50 Chris Solari rssfeeds.freep.com
9 /100 (2.24/9) 0.0 Two French tourists die at Great Barrier Reef Two French tourists have died while snorkelling at a popular tourist spot on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, authorities and reports said on Wednesday. Three tourists, reportedly in their 60s, were in the water at Michaelmas Cay, a reef-ringed sand island near Cairns, when all of them were believed to have had heart attacks, the Cairns Post said. Two of them, a man and a woman, died after being pulled from the water unconscious, while the third survived, the newspaper added. "They indicated that they had medical conditions prior to getting in the water," Col Mckenzie of Queensland state's Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators told AFP. He said the trio were snorkelling at the time, but could not confirm how they died. "Obviously something horrible has gone wrong. They were actually in the water with the dive guide," he said. "Because they indicated their medical conditions, what's gone wrong I don't know. It's what I am trying to find out right now. " Queensland Police said in a statement that the circumstances surrounding the deaths "are believed to be non-suspicious" and that water police were en-route. Official says 2 French divers 2 French tourists die while Two French tourists die at Two French snorkellers die die on Great Barrier Reef snorkeling on Great Barrier Australia’s Great Barrier reef on same Great Barrier Reef dailymail.co.uk Reef after they suffered heart tour mynorthwest.com attacks dailymail.co.uk dailymail.co.uk
2 French Tourists Die While Snorkeling on Great Barrier Reef abcnews.go.com
2016-11-16 00:06 Afp www.dailymail.co.uk
10 /100 0.0 Challenge of protecting Trump Tower for NYC officials
(2.19/9) Now that Donald Trump is president-elect, the job of securing his home on Fifth Avenue is presenting an immense challenge to law enforcement. MSNBC's Cal Perry joins Brian Williams to discuss.
Trump's ex-wife Marla Maples spotted at Trump Tower cbsnews.com
Trump’s the ultimate insider Trump ditches press & at Trump Tower leaves Trump Tower for pressherald.com dinner msnbc.com 2016-11-15 23:13 The 11th www.msnbc.com
11 /100 0.0 Russia's Supreme Court sends Navalny's case for retrial (2.14/9) Russia's Supreme Court has sent the case of an opposition leader for retrial following a ruling of the European Court of Human Rights.
Alexei Navalny, a leading foe of President Vladimir Putin, was convicted of embezzlement in 2013 in a trial he called politically motivated.
The Strasbourg-based court ruled in February that Russia violated Navalny's right to a fair trial, and has ordered the government to pay him legal costs and damages.
Russia's Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered Navalny's case to be retried in the same provincial city, Kirov, where the 2013 hearings took place.
Navalny told Russian news agencies that the case should have been dismissed and that a retrial in Kirov means constant travel there will impede his political activities.
Russia’s Supreme Court Indonesia Sends Blasphemy sends Navalny’s case for Case Against Christian retrial Governor to Court wtop.com wsj.com
2016-11-16 05:23 The Associated www.charlotteobserver.com
12 /100 (2.13/9) 0.0 Chevy Colorado ZR2 pickup: Off-road animal A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.
Chevrolet on Tuesday introduced its Colorado ZR2, a scenery-eating, wall-climbing shot across the bow of the Toyota Tacoma. With its innovative, Multimatic shocks and class-exclusive, front-and-rear locking differentials, the ZR2 goes head on against the Tacoma TRD Pro, until now the undisputed champ of midsize truck terrors.
With the explosion of the midsize truck segment in recent years, the challenge was inevitable. Toyota had owned the midsize segment until the Colorado and GMC Canyon entered the market followed by the Honda Ridgeline this year. While the GM twins and Honda emphasized their pickups’ comfort and drivability, Tacoma continued as king of the Outback.
But with the ZR2, Colorado wants to change that.
“We assembled a dream team of GM truck enthusiasts in order to bring more off-road technology than any other truck in the class,” said GM North America President Alan Batey in introducing the ZR2 before the Los Angeles Auto Show.”
The ZR2 comes from Chevy’s performance division. Like the ferocious, 650-horsepower Camaro ZL1, which is impressive both on and off the race track, the ZR2 aims to be both an off- road warrior and an on-road dancer.
Chevy claims the key to its dexterity to be its exclusive spool-valve dampers. Developed by supplier Multimatic for Formula One racing, the so-called DSSV shocks were first used on the Camaro Z28 track monster.
“Chevy came to us to bring the wide range of capability that spool-valve technology affords to a truck,” said Michael Guttilla, vice president of Multimatic Sales. “All the technology that made the Z28 a successful track car lends itself to going off-road.”
The shocks — combined with a 3 1/2-inch wider track, 2-inch higher ground clearance, and Tacoma-equivalent, 30-degree front approach angle — transform the Colorado into an off-road animal. At the Los Angeles unveil, journalists were taken over a closed course of moguls, hills and terrain. Most impressive was the ZR2’s locking differentials which enabled the ZR2 to climb a steep, unpredictable grade.
The truck segment has seen off-road performance trucks before in the Tacoma and Ford’s full- size F-150 Raptor. Unlike the Raptor, Chevy does not offer a unique, high-output engine with the ZR2 — but the standard V-6 and diesel option available in other Colorado trucks. Instead of raw power, the ZR2 appeals to extreme off-roaders who want more maneuverability than the big Raptor. The ZR2 was tested extensively through the narrow ridges of the Rubicon and GM’s off- road test facility in Yuma, Arizona.
“It’s amazing what a difference a foot of width makes off-road,” said Mark Dickens, boss of Chevy performance vehicles. “The smaller size of the Colorado is a huge enabler for taking the ZR2 more places, and getting it through tighter spots than you could access with a full-size truck.”
The ZR2 is distinguished by its robust front skid plate, robust, steel-tube rocker panels, black hood bulge and huge, 31-inch tires. It will tow up 5,000 pounds and carry 1,100 lbs. of payload. It was developed by GM after positive response to its ZR2 concept introduced her in LA in 2014.
With the ZR2, “you can go rock crawling on Saturday, desert running on Sunday, and comfortably drive to work on Monday,” said Mark Reuss, executive vice president, Global Product Development in a statement. “This truck can do it all, and do it all well.”
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at [email protected] or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
2017 Chevrolet Colorado Chevrolet Colorado boosts Chevy Colorado ZR2 ZR2 ready to chew up trails off-road appeal with ZR2 revealed, LA Auto Show article.wn.com rssfeeds.freep.com rssfeeds.detroitnews.com
2016-11-16 00:33 Henry Payne rssfeeds.detroitnews.com
13 /100 0.0 GOP governors hope to move fast on making promised changes (2.06/9) By Gary Fineout, Associated Press
Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016 | 1:02 a.m.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Republicans are still celebrating their election victories, but the country's GOP governors warned this week that they need to move fast on many of the changes that have been promised to voters.
The Republican Governors Association held its annual conference at a resort near Disney World this week where several governors talked eagerly about how the election of Donald Trump could herald sweeping changes on everything from health care to education.
But many of them said those changes need to come soon before the nation and Republican leaders get caught up in the 2018 election cycle.
"We cannot squander this opportunity," said Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey.
Republicans now control the White House and Congress. And Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker pointed that this was the first time there has been this many GOP governors across the country since the 1920s.
Many of them were excited Tuesday about what could come next.
"The sky's the limit," Walker said. "There's no end to the good we can do. "
Walker and other governors ticked off a long list of areas they would like to gain more control over whether it was education, transportation, workplace rules, health care or environmental policies. But they said some of these policies need to be tackled within Trump's first 100 days.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott contended that Democrats and their allies would do what they could to stop Republicans.
"The empire will strike back," said Scott, referencing the title of one of the "Star Wars" movies. "You can be sure they are right now planning to stop us from making real changes. "
Most of the GOP governors mentioned health care when discussing their top priorities.
But it became evident they are not in complete agreement on how to unwind President Barack Obama's health care overhaul that included an expansion of Medicaid, the nation's main safety net health care program for the poor. An estimated 20 million Americans are now receiving coverage through different elements of the overhaul including Medicaid or through health care exchanges that offer insurance policies.
Scott called the overhaul a "disaster" and said Republicans need to repeal it entirely. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, however, said she expected people to continue to enroll for insurance using health care exchanges as long as it's the law and that they can't just take away insurance from people who have it now.
"I don't know that there will ever be a turn off the switch, wait a period of time and then turn it back on," said Martinez. "There is going to have to be a transition and not leave everyone uninsured. "
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who noted that Medicaid was expanded in his state prior to his election, called for a "thoughtful approach" to revamping health care and said he wants the ability to put in additional requirements for Medicaid recipients such as work requirements. Hutchinson has tried to win federal approval for some of his ideas but said he had been "stymied" by the Obama administration.
"We have the opportunity to do things we cannot do now," Hutchinson said.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley called it a "new day" for statehouses across the country, but she added her own admonition.
"We can't celebrate too long, we've got to get to work," Haley said. "And that means 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 120 days, all of us have to get to work. "
GOP governors hope to GOP governors hope to move fast on making move fast on making promised changes - promised changes News9.com - Oklahoma washingtontimes.com City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports news9.com
2016-11-16 05:02 By Gary lasvegassun.com
14 /100 (2.06/9) 0.0 Obama to tour ancient Greek Acropolis By Elena Becatoros and Josh Lederman, Associated Press
Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016 | 1:02 a.m.
ATHENS, Greece — President Barack Obama is to tour Greece's most famous ancient monument, the Acropolis, and deliver a speech to the Greek people Wednesday as he winds up the first leg of his final foreign tour as president and heads from Greece to Germany.
Greece's government has hailed Obama's visit — the first official visit of a sitting U. S. president since a 1999 trip here by Bill Clinton — as being of massive importance. It has pinned its hopes on him persuading some of the financially stricken country's more reluctant international creditors to grant debt relief, as well as pressuring other European countries to share more of the burden of the continent's refugee crisis. While Obama was receptive to Greece's woes and repeated his belief that debt relief is necessary — though also stressing Greece must continue implementing painful reforms it signed up to in return for successive international bailouts — it is questionable how much of this stance will also be adopted by his successor, Donald Trump, following the latter's recent election victory.
Speaking during a joint news conference with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on the first day of his visit Tuesday, Obama explained Trump's victory as a reaction against economic uncertainty, suspicion of elites and a desire to reign in the excesses of globalization, and said world leaders should pay attention to their citizens' very real fears of inequality and economic dislocation.
"The more aggressively and effectively we deal with those issues, the less those fears may channel themselves into counterproductive approaches that can pit people against each other," Obama said.
The U. S. president said he had been surprised by the Trump victory, but indicated he did not see it as a repudiation of his own policies.
Obama's words are being watched closely by world leaders who see parallels between Trump's election and the rise of far-right and populist movements in their own countries amid continued economic anxiety.
Tsipras himself won elections last year on what critics say was a populist platform, though one on the left of the political spectrum. He pushed his formerly small radical left party onto the forefront of Greece's tumultuous political scene by telling Greeks weary from six years of financial crisis and falling living standards that he would reject austerity measures imposed in return for the country's bailouts.
But after the near collapse of negotiations with Greece's creditors — other European countries using the euro currency, and the International Monetary Fund — Tsipras performed a political about-face, signing up to a new bailout and more austerity to prevent his country being forced out of the euro.
Speaking during Tuesday's news conference, Tsipras said he had refrained from criticizing Trump after his election win — although he had made critical comments during the election campaign.
"Let me point out that it was one thing that we knew about Donald Trump when he was seeking to become the candidate for the Republican Party, another thing during the election period, and now that he is the President-elect, and it's quite another when he will be the president of a country that is a major player, a global player," Tsipras said.
Obama is to start his final day in Greece, which he has lauded as the birthplace of democracy, with a tour of the ancient citadel of the Acropolis, topped by the 5th Century B. C. Parthenon temple. The ancient site will remain closed to the public for the day to accommodate the president's visit.
He is then to deliver a speech to the people of Greece that is expected to touch on both the country's efforts to emerge from its financial crisis, and on its role in dealing with hundreds of thousands of refugees who have crossed Greece's borders on their way to more prosperous European countries. A reluctance by many other EU countries to host refugees has left more than 60,000 people stranded in Greece, many living in poor conditions in massively overcrowded camps dotted across the country.
On Tuesday, Obama acknowledged the impact of the financial crisis on Greece, which has wiped out a quarter of its economy and led to unemployment rates of above 25 percent.
"I know this has been a painful and difficult time, especially for Greek workers and families, pensioners and young people. This crisis is not an abstraction, but has had a very concrete and devastating impact on the lives and livelihoods of millions of people across this country," Obama said. In a boost to Greek efforts to argue for debt relief, he added: "I've been clear from the beginning of this crisis that in order to make reforms sustainable, the Greek economy needs the space to return to growth and start creating jobs again. We cannot simply look to austerity as a strategy. "
Security has been draconian in Athens during Obama's stay, with more than 5,000 police deployed, a ban on public gatherings and demonstrations in swathes of central Athens and near his seaside resort hotel, along with shutdowns of roads and subway stations when he has been on the move.
Despite the restrictions, riot police used tear gas and stun grenades Tuesday evening to disperse about 3,000 left-wing demonstrators protesting the visit after they tried to enter an area off-limits to gatherings. Police made at least four arrests and said one woman was slightly injured in the clashes, which took place far from Obama's meetings.
Obama arrives at Greek Obama to Tour Ancient Acropolis Greek Acropolis charlotteobserver.com abcnews.go.com
2016-11-16 05:02 By Elena lasvegassun.com
15 /100 0.0 South Africans protest against racism in coffin assault case (2.06/9) Demonstrators have protested against racism outside a South African courthouse where two white men face assault charges for allegedly forcing a black man into a coffin and threatening to set him on fire.
Members of the ruling African National Congress party and opposition groups gathered outside the court in Middelburg, where the two suspects appeared on Wednesday. The case was postponed until Jan. 25.
A video showing the racially charged incident has circulated on social media, intensifying debate about South Africa's legacy of white minority rule, which ended in 1994.
The video shows a man cowering and moaning in a coffin as a tormentor pushes part of the lid over his head and upper body. A man is also heard threatening to pour gasoline in the coffin. Coffin assault case South Africans Protest postponed Against Racism in Coffin news24.com Assault Case abcnews.go.com
2016-11-16 04:13 The Associated www.charlotteobserver.com
16 /100 0.0 Megyn Kelly reveals she shoplifted and threw house parties (2.06/9) After revealing behind-the- scenes clashes with president- elect Donald Trump, Megyn Kelly's new book details the journalist's wild life before the fame. In her new memoir, Settle For More, Kelly talks about how she 'tested the limits' when she shoplifted and threw house parties, according to Radar Online. In 1985, when Kelly was just 15 years old, one Halloween night a friend's mother didn't buy some plastic jewelry that she and her friend saw at Kmart. 'I tested the limits like all kids do, including shoplifting once,' she writes. 'So we stole it,' she added. But when their parents found out, her father, Edward, took them back to the store and made them return the merchandise and apologize to the manager, the site reported. Kelly also admitted to throwing a party when her parents were out of town, which happened to have alcohol. She wrote that she and a friend told their families they were going to a racetrack when they ending up going to New York City to meet some boys. The Fox anchor says that she managed to stay away from drugs through it all, the site reported. But that same year, her family was struck by tragedy when her father passed away ten days before Christmas. Kelly says her wild phase ended after that tragic night. She said it all started when she wanted a class ring, but her father refused because it was too expensive. Kelly wrote that she left him alone on the couch when she went upstairs to her bedroom 'without saying good night or even acknowledging him'. 'I turned out the light and went to sleep angry,' she writes. He died of a heart attack right before midnight. 'The last image I have of my father alive is of him alone on the couch. That sight would haunt me for the rest of my life.' Megyn Kelly says it’s Bill O'Reilly Says Megyn important to know what Kelly Shouldn't "Undermine" Trump did Fox News article.wn.com feedproxy.google.com
2016-11-16 02:42 Dailymail.com www.dailymail.co.uk
17 /100 0.0 India's Currency Swap Sets off Endless Lines of Frustration (2.06/9) The first people showed up at the bank long before dawn, forming a line in the cold and the smog and silently waiting for the chance to withdraw their own money. They left more than seven hours later, each holding the handful of bills, worth $60 at the very most, that they'd been allowed to take home.
By midday, the lines snaked back and forth across the parking lot outside the Axis Bank branch in central New Delhi. Occasionally, a policeman carrying a long bamboo club would slap someone who stepped out of line. No one complained. In a crowd like this, largely working-class and uneducated, no one talks back to a policeman. Especially not one carrying a club.
"They keep telling us that that this is good, and maybe they're right," said Shahida Parveen, a 36-year-old woman whose family had almost no usable money left. "But I don't see anything good happening. "
This is just one bank, in one city, in a country of 1.3 billion people, millions of them increasingly desperate for cash amid a chaotic government effort to crack down on corruption by banning high-denomination currency notes.
Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in a surprise nighttime TV address that all 500- and 1,000-rupee notes, worth about $7.50 and $15, would be withdrawn immediately from circulation, a move designed to fight corruption and target people who have been dodging taxes by holding immense stockpiles of cash, known in India as "black money. "
In a nation hobbled by corruption, and where less than 3 percent of people file tax returns, the plan at first earned widespread approval.
But as the days ticked by, it became increasingly clear that the government was ill-prepared for a plan that suddenly pulled 86 percent of the country's money supply out of circulation.
Families began hoarding small-denomination currency, merchants reported plummeting business and salaries went unpaid. Many businesses were refusing to accept the only new note rushed into circulation, worth 2,000 rupees, because they were unable to make change for it. The government says it's also trying to get new 500-rupee bills into circulation, but they remain rarities.
Modi acknowledged the transition to the new currency might be briefly difficult, but said the government "spent long hours trying to figure out how to minimize the inconvenience. "
"The poor are now enjoying a sound sleep, while the rich are running around to buy sleeping pills" because of anxieties over their hoarded money, he said.
But in the parking lot outside the Axis Bank, no one was talking about a sound sleep.
"This is only to harass people like us," said Parveen, a stay-at-home mother whose husband works as a small-time broker for rental properties, but has had no work for the past week. Hundreds of millions of Indians do not have bank accounts and use only cash. Many businesses only accept cash. "The people with all the black money, they'll find a way to manage. "
She's right. The price of gold spiked in the hours after Modi's announcement, as the rich looked for ways to get rid of their old currency. Accountants say there has been a surge in questions about laundering cash, with one saying a client had come in admitting he needed to get rid of more than $5 million in discontinued notes.
Others have used a range of ploys, from buying expensive train tickets that can be refunded later, to getting fake receipts, backdated to before Modi's announcement, to make their black money look legitimate.
"Do you see anyone with black money here? " demanded Chote Lal, 59, who had taken the day off from his office job to wait in line. "Only the poor are getting hurt. Who else is suffering? "
A New Delhi businessman with connections to underground currency traders said it was still fairly easy to exchange the withdrawn currency — as long as you're willing to pay twice the legitimate exchange rate to get rid of the old notes.
"They can take as much as you need to get rid of," the businessman said, speaking on condition of anonymity to be able to speak freely about illegal transactions.
How are money launderers getting rid of outdated currency? Some are presumably using corrupt bureaucrats or banking officials. Others, however, are getting help from people in line at tens of thousands of banks across India.
Some of those waiting at Axis, like Parveen, were there to exchange their own money. She pulled a wallet from her purple-and-pink purse, revealing two crumpled 100-rupee notes and two 50-rupee notes, worth a total of about $4.50. It was all her family of five had left to spend, at least until she got to the front of the line and could exchange 4,000 rupees in the old currency.
But it was an open secret that more than a few of those waiting with her were being paid to exchange currency for wealthier people.
"I'm not doing that, but many of these people are exchanging for others," said Sahil Saluja, a young airline employee, gesturing around him. He eventually gave up waiting after more than four hours in line.
The often-shifting regulations allow a one-time swap of 4,000 rupees, or about $60, in exchange for smaller notes to meet immediate needs. That limit was raised to 4,500 rupees on Wednesday. The government insists the system will be back to normal by the end of the year.
Overwhelmed banks had no reliable way to ensure that people didn't line up more than once, so on Tuesday, the government announced that banks would begin using indelible ink to mark the fingers of people swapping scrapped currency notes. India uses the same system during elections, to stop people from voting repeatedly.
Old notes can be deposited into bank accounts before the end of the year, though the government says it will investigate deposits above 250,000 rupees, or about $3,700. Immense fines will be levied on anyone found to have been illegally avoiding taxes.
But for at least the next week, and perhaps many weeks, hours-long bank lines and strict limits on withdrawals (most people are limited to about $30 a day), mean lots of frustration ahead.
The government, meanwhile, insisted all was well.
The "public need not be anxious," said a weekend statement from India's national Reserve Bank. "Cash is available when they need it. "
———
Follow Tim Sullivan on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ByTimSullivan
India's currency swap sets India’s currency swap sets off endless lines of off endless lines of frustration frustration dailymail.co.uk wtop.com
2016-11-16 02:39 By abcnews.go.com
18 /100 0.0 Police search for motive in killing of airport worker
(2.06/9) Oklahoma City police investigators worked to piece together why a man waited to gun down an airline employee outside Will Rogers World Airport on Tuesday in an ambush that forced hundreds of travelers to take shelter and prompted
Police search for motive in killing of airport worker - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports news9.com Police Search for Motive in Killing of Airport Worker abcnews.go.com
2016-11-16 02:38 system article.wn.com
19 /100 0.0 5 displaced by 2-alarm fire in San Francisco's Excelsior District (2.06/9) Five people were displaced by a two-alarm residential structure fire in San Francisco's Excelsior this evening, according to firefighters. Emergency crews reported via social media that they were responding to a fire in the 700 block of Brazil Avenue at 7:23 p.m. They declared a second alarm response around 7:40 p.m., and the incident was under control by 7:45 p.m. A neighboring structure in the 300 block of Vienna Street was also damaged. One adult was treated for smoke inhalation. Information about the cause of the fire was not immediately available.
The Latest: San Francisco The Latest: San Francisco votes to cap short-term Votes to Cap Short-Term rentals Rentals dailymail.co.uk abcnews.go.com
2016-11-16 00:31 (Copyright abc7news.com
20 /100 0.0 ‘I thought, this is it’: one man’s escape from an Islamic State massacre (2.06/9) Blindfolded and bound, his knees pressing into the dirt, Imad resigned himself to what seemed inevitable. He was going to die. Islamic State gunmen had driven him and about 90 other former Iraqi police and army officers to a remote industrial area on the edge of Hamam al-Alil, 16km south of Mosul, after rounding them up from their villages last month. Iraqi security forces were approaching, and the militants were losing their grip on the area. Packed into two pickup trucks and a bus, the men were told they were being taken to see their families, but they were instead slated for execution. Imad’s truck was the first to be unloaded, and he was the first in line. A militant took him by the arm. He walked around 10 metres. He was ordered to kneel down. “I thought, ‘This is it, it’s over,’ ” he said as he recounted his ordeal from his home in the village of Safiya. “We’ve lived under the rule of Islamic State for more than two years and we know that nobody survives such things.” The gunmen opened fire. Imad’s account of what happened that day provides a rare firsthand view of the brutality that has become a notorious hallmark of the Islamic State’s rule. The militants have steadily lost ground since Iraqi forces began their offensive to recapture Mosul a month ago, breaking into the city from the east and capturing towns and villages to the south. Increasingly cornered, they have fought to hold their last remaining stronghold in Iraq any way they can. They have held civilians as human shields and dispatched hundreds of car bombs. The United Nations reported last week that the Islamic State had abducted 295 former members of the Iraqi security forces from areas around Mosul. It also said that 50 former police officers had been executed in Hamam al-Alil last month. Imad said nearly double that number were killed at the place he was taken, which is near a cement factory northwest of the town. Iraqi police forces said Monday that they had found a mass grave at that location containing around 100 bodies, corroborating Imad’s account. Imad had served on the police force for seven years. He was at home with his wife and child when the militants announced over loudspeakers attached to vehicles that all men and boys 15 and older should gather at the mosque. “They said anyone who disobeyed would be killed,” said Imad, who spoke on the condition that his last name not be published because his wife and child are still in Islamic State territory. “The Islamic State was breathing its last breath so I decided to run,” he said. He took off but was caught by the militants about 100 metres from his home and taken to where the men were gathered. About 90 former police and army officers were separated from the rest, loaded into trucks and cars and driven north to Hamam al-Alil. They were blindfolded and their hands were bound. A prisoner asked one of the captors a question. Imad didn’t hear it, but he heard the response. “You are going to hell,” the militant replied. That’s when Imad knew for sure the fate that awaited them. They were loaded into trucks and driven for half an hour along a dirt road. It was dark by the time they reached the spot near the cement factory. “I thought of my wife and son and how I’d never see them again,” he said. When the gunmen opened fire, he felt a bullet hit his leg. “I got shot, but I didn’t know how many times,” he said. “I felt things hitting my back.” He fell forward into the dirt and pretended to be dead. He heard a commotion as someone from one of the other trucks tried to escape. The gunmen were distracted. “They were screaming and shouting,” he said. “As soon as I heard that, I saw my chance.” His hands had been only loosely bound with rope. He pulled them apart, tore off his blindfold and ran. It was only then that he realised he had been only lightly injured, a bullet grazing his leg. His back had only been hit by stones kicked up by the bullets. “It was dark, maybe they weren’t that focused,” he said. “It seems they were just shooting randomly.” A steep bank prevented the militants from chasing him in their vehicles. He walked all night before reaching an area controlled by security forces. Some 22 former officers from his village died that day. “As for me, I’ve seen death, and I feel reborn,” he said. He worries about life under Iraqi forces, who he said damaged property in the village as they retook it. Still, nothing will compare to the brutality of life under the Islamic State, he said: “Those people are monsters, killers; they don’t have any humanity.”
Final 3 Minnesotans to be Final 3 Minnesotans to Be sentenced in Islamic State Sentenced in Islamic State case Case article.wn.com abcnews.go.com
2016-11-16 00:27 The Washington www.scmp.com
21 /100 0.0 Some California leaders vow to resist deportations under Trump (2.04/9) In the days since Americans chose their next leader, President-elect Donald Trump has made clear his immigration plans include deporting or incarcerating undocumented immigrants who are criminals, a number he estimates at as many as 3 million.
As he works to implement the immigration crackdown that guided his populist campaign, he will have to contend with state and local officials in California who have resisted the federal government on immigration before and appear poised to do so again. The result could be a struggle between different levels of government over the fate of millions.
The enforcement of America’s immigration laws falls to the Department of Homeland Security, and that department has significant discretion to determine how those laws are carried out and who is targeted, given limited time and agents.
“The way enforcement happens, it’s set through priorities and memos that come out of DHS,” said Ronald Coleman, government affairs manager for the California Immigrant Policy Center. “It’s not specified in any federal statute how enforcement is supposed to happen.”
President Barack Obama was denounced by liberal allies for overseeing more deportations than any previous president – more than 2 million people between 2010 and 2014, according to Politifact. In 2014, the Department of Homeland Security issued new enforcement guidelines focusing agents on immigrants who had serious criminal records or who illegally crossed the border after the start of 2014. It also allowed DHS to consider such factors as how long people had been in the United States and whether they had families.
That stance could change under Trump.
According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, Trump’s advisers have begun constructing an immigration enforcement policy that would expand the universe of immigrants targeted for deportation by bolstering workplace raids and looking beyond illegal immigrants who have been convicted of crimes, reeling in those who have been charged but not convicted or who are suspected of gang membership or drug dealing.
“What we are going to do is get the people that are criminal and have criminal records, gang members, drug dealers, we have a lot of these people, probably 2 million, it could be even 3 million, we are getting them out of our country or we are going to incarcerate,” Trump said in an interview with “60 Minutes.”
In addition to changing enforcement priorities, Trump is likely to dissolve one of Obama’s signature immigration initiatives. He has criticized an executive program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals that immunizes young, unauthorized immigrants against deportation and allows them to earn work permits.
The figure of 2 million to 3 million Trump cited in that interview has come into question.
Democratic leaders in immigrant-friendly California are convinced his plan would sweep up people who aren’t a serious threat to society.
“It is erroneous and profoundly irresponsible to suggest that up to 3 million undocumented immigrants living in America are dangerous criminals – and threatening to immediately deport them only exacerbates the unprecedented angst and anger currently dividing our American community,” Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León, D-Los Angeles, said in a Sunday statement. “It also appears to be a thinly veiled pretense for a catastrophic policy of mass deportation that will tear apart families and weaken our economy.”
A 2013 report from the Department of Homeland Security estimated that about 1.9 million “removable criminal aliens” lived in the United States, a figure that included both unauthorized immigrants and noncitizens with some form of legal status. If Trump is basing his estimate on that number, that means he’s talking about deporting some people who are here legally.
By another measure, a 2015 report from the Migration Policy Institute estimated that about 1.4 million undocumented immigrants fit the 2014 enforcement priorities laid out by the Obama administration, which allowed for factors like family unity and focused on serious crimes. Under the administration’s previous guidelines, the study found, some 3 million undocumented immigrants would have been prioritized for deportation.
Any immigration policy shift would have a sizable impact on California, where the Pew Research Center estimated about 2.3 million undocumented immigrants lived in 2014.
Of the roughly 74,000 people booked into California jails in a given month at the end of 2015, about 6,200 were “criminal aliens,” or 8.4 percent, according to the California Board of State and Community Corrections. The figure may be incomplete because counties self-reported that data and use their own definition for criminal aliens, or in some cases exclude that category. As of 2015, the California Department of Finance estimated that about 16,000 undocumented immigrants were incarcerated in state facilities, or about 12.7 percent of the inmate population.
Regardless of the numbers Trump cited, the Obama administration’s experience demonstrates how local governments wield meaningful power to reject or weaken federal immigration policies.
With deportations at an all-time high, state and local officials fought a now-defunct program, known as Secure Communities, in which local law enforcement collaborated with federal immigration officials. California Attorney General Kamala Harris told local law enforcers they could refuse federal requests to hold immigrants.
California built on that break from the federal government in 2013, when Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill commonly known as the Trust Act. That measure bars jails from honoring federal requests to hold onto undocumented immigrants after their release date unless they have been convicted of or charged with serious or violent felonies.
In effect, the law asserts California’s right to protect people from deportation for low-level crimes. Subsequent court decisions fortified that legal precedent, saying jails could not be compelled to detain immigrants past when they’re eligible for release.
The Trump administration could sue California over the 2013 law, perhaps arguing the statute is pre-empted by federal law.
But even with the prohibition on holding onto certain immigrants, Immigration and Customs Enforcement can still communicate with local officials in an effort to scoop up immigrants when they are released, and Trump could push for a change to federal rules to mandate sharing information.
Fingerprints from people booked into county jails flow into federal databases, allowing authorities to see whom locals are holding. Sheriffs can allow jail visits and communicate with officials about whom they are detaining and when they will be released. San Diego County has ICE agents stationed in jails that process inmates.
“The feds will ask for information and we can provide information to the feds – ‘do you have information on such-and-such person, yes we do,’ ” said Cory Salzillo, a lobbyist for the California State Sheriffs Association. “Communication is not precluded, so agencies will discuss with ICE who they have. How proactive that is depends on the agency.”
That’s not necessarily the case in so-called sanctuary cities, jurisdictions like San Francisco or Santa Clara County, that as a matter of policy limit cooperating with federal immigration officials. Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding from those locales.
“Sanctuary cities have taken the position that they won’t even notify ICE, that they won’t cooperate in any way,” said Martin Mayer, an attorney who counsels the California State Sheriffs Association and the California Police Chiefs Association but stressed he was not speaking on their behalf. “The argument that’s being posited by the president-elect is, if you don’t cooperate, we’ll cut your federal funding. Can they do that? Sure.”
But those matters pertain to immigrants already in custody. Before it gets to that point, local police departments have wide autonomy in their treatment of immigrants.
Sacramento interim City Manager Howard Chan said on Tuesday that Sacramento police do not do immigration checks on residents.
In Los Angeles this week, the city’s police chief, Charlie Beck, said he would preserve a decades-old policy barring officers from initiating contacts solely based on suspicions about someone’s immigration status.
Such stops have been challenged as unconstitutional, and a legal fight over a tough Arizona law led the state to say officers couldn’t detain suspects purely based on their immigration status. But a Trump administration would likely have little power to dictate how cops do their jobs.
“Policing is local,” Mayer said, “and the feds can’t dictate how they’re going to function.”
Immigration activists retool Philippines' Duterte says their push for reform, reach trusts Trump to be fair on out to Trump and GOP immigration foxnews.com dailymail.co.uk
2016-11-16 00:01 By Jeremy www.sacbee.com
22 /100 0.0 Obama, on last trip to Europe, warns against nationalism, populism (2.04/9) WASHINGTON/ NEW YORK : US President Barack Obama , stung by the surprise victory of Donald Trump in last week’s US election , warned on Tuesday against a rise in nationalism and said a backlash against globalisation had stoked populist
Obama will address a divided Europe cnn.com
Visiting Europe, Obama warns against rise of ‘crude sort of nationalism’ post-gazette.com 2016-11-16 02:27 system article.wn.com
23 /100 0.0 Pie in the sky: New Zealand makes pizza drone delivery (2.02/9) The world's first pizza drone delivery was claimed on Wednesday by the New Zealand division of fast food giant Domino's, as it looks to grab a slice of a potentially hot future market. Domino's said it used an unmanned aerial vehicle to deliver two pizzas to a customer at Whangaparaoa, just north of Auckland. The firm's boss Don Meij said drones were set to become an essential part of pizza deliveries. "They can avoid traffic congestion and traffic lights, and safely reduce the delivery time and distance by travelling directly to customers' homes," he said. "This is the future. Today's successful delivery was an important proof of this concept. " He said tests would continue at Whangaparaoa this week, with a view to expanding the delivery area next year. Domino's said it was also examining using drones in Australia, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Japan and Germany. In March, the company unveiled a robot cart being trialled in New Zealand that it claimed was the world's first driverless pizza delivery vehicle.
It's raining PIZZA! Domino's Watch The World's First sends piping hot meal to Commercial Pizza Delivery customers using a DRONE by Drone in a world-first delivery fortune.com dailymail.co.uk
2016-11-16 03:05 Afp www.dailymail.co.uk
24 /100 0.0 Thailand finds 33 new cases of Zika, says health ministry (1.15/9) BANGKOK, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Thai health officials on Wednesday said 33 new Zika virus cases have been detected in the country as officials step up screening for groups at high risk from the disease such as pregnant women. "We confirmed 33 new cases last week and have detected the virus in two further provinces," Ministry of Public Health spokesman Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai told Reuters. Suwannachai said health campaigns warning travellers about Zika have been increased as many Thais flock to the capital Bangkok to take part in national mourning activities for King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died on Oct. 13. "This is a period of movement with people coming to the capital from the provinces to take part in various activities," he said. "We have to remind them that Zika is a silent disease and some people won't have symptoms. " Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia in September to confirm Zika-linked microcephaly, a condition that results in babies being born with small heads, and has one of the highest number of Zika cases in the region. Other parts of Southeast Asia have reported dozens of cases of Zika, including city state Singapore where 450 cases have been reported in 2016. Thailand has reported more than 680 cases of Zika since January but its Department of Disease Control has said the virus is manageable. In neighbouring Myanmar, a pregnant foreign woman was diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus last month - the first case confirmed in the country. Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly - a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized - as well as other brain abnormalities. The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light in Brazil, which has confirmed more than 1,900 cases of microcephaly. (Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Editing by)
33 new cases of Zika in Thailand, says health ministry article.wn.com
2016-11-16 00:50 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk
25 /100 0.0 Rogers: Jurgen Klinsmann can't talk way out of USMNT's loss to Costa Rica (1.07/9) Embed
Share
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — There is enough bad news for the United States national team right now that you can take your pick of painful barbs. There is the fact that records, the unwanted kind, have started tumbling.
Or that the U. S., as things stand, is out of the qualification places for the 2018 World Cup. Or that Tuesday night’s 4-0 defeat in Costa Rica was the first time the country has lost its opening two qualifiers of a World Cup campaign. Or the first time it has lost two consecutive qualifiers since 2001. Or that this was the heaviest shutout loss in qualifying in nearly 60 years.
There was no talking his way out of this one for head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. This was a good old-fashioned drubbing, administered by a fearless team full of confidence and attacking intent, to the backsides of an American group that had little to offer and had firmly lost its composure by the end.
“It is a defeat that hurts a lot,” Klinsmann said. “It is a bitter pill to swallow.” USA TODAY
United States falls to Costa Rica in World Cup qualifier
Klinsmann, over the past five years, has greeted every slice of adversity with a positive spin, but even he was at a loss to come up with anything to cling to here. Things have just gotten serious, and there is a chance he pays for it with his job. For U. S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati to resist the temptation to pull the trigger, he will have to buy into some of the good, or less bad, news.
World Cup qualifying is a long process and, at least in the CONCACAF where the U. S. operates, a forgiving one.
There is enough time and ample games for a revival sufficient to move the Americans into the prime slots of a six-team double round robin that will send three teams to Russia in 2018. Furthermore, both defeats have come against their toughest opponents, this setback following last Friday’s home loss to Mexico.
Yet this is a scenario that is a blow to the gut of American soccer and its growing number of fans. That collective can handle being an underdog on a global scale against traditional heavyweights from Europe and South America, but here, in one of the weakest regions in world soccer, it is supposed to be the bully, the team that dominates, the team that always qualifies like it has for the past seven tournaments in a row. Not a struggler destined for what now possibly looms as a nervous path to soccer’s greatest show.
The U. S. was without top goalkeeper Tim Howard , though there is nothing he could have done to stop this rout. Perhaps more tellingly, it was without Geoff Cameron, who would surely have provided a more stable defensive presence than the apparently terrified duo of John Brooks and Omar Gonzalez.
USA TODAY
Bob Bradley has moved on from USMNT, even if not everybody has
It is on Klinsmann too though, the coach who was supposed to take the U. S. to an unprecedented level of style and tactical sophistication when he was brought in to replace Bob Bradley in 2011.
Instead, assuming Gulati keeps the faith, he has to manufacture a way to conjure greater spirit and motivation from a group that was utterly dejected as it left Costa Rica.
“In moments like this you have no choice but to step up and be strong and take responsibility and say we were just not good enough,” captain Michael Bradley said.
Bradley was right, and the pressing question is where the scope of the responsibility lies. With the players, for their inability or unwillingness to respond? With the likes of the hapless Brooks, who was outstanding over the summer in the Copa America but was at fault for Mexico’s winning goal last week and was a deer in the San Jose floodlights? Or with the coach who could not get his troops settled into a tactical rhythm capable of stopping Costa Rica from running riot? Four months is a long time in soccer, and that is how long the U. S. has to wait for its next pair of qualifiers, a home game against Honduras followed by a visit to Panama.
That is four months to look at that points table, and see its position languishing at the foot of it next to Trinidad and Tobago. Four months for wounds to heal, perhaps. And four months for either Klinsmann to find an answer, or for his employers to find a replacement.
U.S. men’s soccer suffers calamitous loss to Costa Rica in World Cup qualifier article.wn.com
2016-11-16 02:06 Martin Rogers rssfeeds.usatoday.com
26 /100 0.0 Indian foreign minister preparing for kidney transplant
(1.05/9) India's foreign minister says she is undergoing medical tests for a transplant after suffering kidney failure.
In a message posted Wednesday on Twitter, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said she is undergoing dialysis at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.
The 64-year-old minister was admitted to the hospital last week. She said in her post: "Presently, I am on dialysis. I am undergoing tests for a kidney transplant. Lord Krishna will bless. "
Indian foreign minister in India's foreign minister hospital with kidney failure suffers kidney failure dailymail.co.uk dailymail.co.uk
2016-11-16 05:18 The Associated www.charlotteobserver.com
27 /100 0.0 John McCain cautions Donald Trump over U. S.-Russia "reset" (1.05/9) Both President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have suggested they would like to improve U. S.-Russia relations -- but one top Republican lawmaker is warning Trump about trying another “reset” with Russia.
Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona), the 2008 Republican presidential nominee and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Tuesday in the wake of more Russian airstrikes in Syria that the U. S. should not place substantial “faith” in Putin’s desire to improve relations.
“With the U. S. presidential transition underway, Vladimir Putin has said in recent days that he wants to improve relations with the United States,” he wrote in a statement. “We should place as much faith in such statements as any other made by a former KGB agent who has plunged his country into tyranny, murdered his political opponents, invaded his neighbors, threatened America’s allies, and attempted to undermine America’s elections.
In the wake of Mr. Trump’s election, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Trump and Putin are “very much alike” in their worldviews and said Russia hopes “for their good personal relationship.” Putin and Mr. Trump spoke by phone Monday.
McCain added that Putin “has rejoined [Syrian President] Bashar Assad in his barbaric war against the Syrian people.” He cautioned that previous attempts at a Russian “reset” -- most recently, that of President Obama and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2009 -- did not work, so there’s little reason to hope a Trump-led effort would have a different result.
“The Obama Administration’s last attempt at resetting relations with Russia culminated in Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and military intervention in the Middle East,” McCain said. “At the very least, the price of another ‘reset’ would be complicity in Putin and Assad’s butchery of the Syrian people. That is an unacceptable price for a great nation.”
Donald Trump, Syria, Russia: Your Wednesday Briefing nytimes.com
2016-11-16 00:03 Emily Schultheis www.cbsnews.com
28 /100 (1.04/9) 0.0 Georgia Nicols horoscopes for Nov. 16, 2016 Caution: Avoid shopping or big decisions from 4:45 a.m. until 7 p.m. Chicago time. After that, the Moon moves from Gemini into Cancer.
This is a goofy, unpredictable day. It’s a poor day to make definite plans or agree to anything important. However, because your mind will easily think outside of the box, it’s also a creative day for you. Jot down your genius-like ideas.
Because of the placement of the Moon today, you are focused on money matters. Nevertheless, this is a poor day for financial decisions. Aye, there’s the rub. Spend money only on gas, food and entertaining diversions. Postpone financial decisions until tomorrow.
Today the Moon is in your sign; however, it’s a Moon Alert day. This is why you feel a bit adrift. You might want to run away and join the circus but you have no idea how you would do this. Ideally, just take it easy and enjoy the company of others.
This is a wobbly day. You can’t be sure of anything. Don’t attempt anything ambitious; just go with the flow. However, this is a playful, creative time great for those in the arts, the entertainment world, the hospitality industry or working with children.
You will enjoy time with friends today, especially a female acquaintance. Although there is a vague, loosey-goosey element to this day, today is excellent for social occasions. (Just not good for serious decisions and major purchases.) Forewarned is forearmed.
This is a Moon Alert day, which means it has mild surprises and little detours. Therefore, it’s important to know that today people notice you, especially bosses and VIPs. In fact, personal information about your private life might be public.
Today you want to do something different to satisfy an urge for adventure and stimulation. And yet, because this is a Moon Alert day, it’s not a good day for major expenditures or solid decisions. Have fun and explore new places and talk to different people. Commit to nothing.
This continues to be a powerful time because the Sun is in your sign. The Moon makes you interested in matters related to shared property, taxes, debt and inheritances. Nevertheless, because it is a Moon Alert, it’s a poor day for important financial decisions.
You have to go more than halfway when dealing with others today because the Moon is directly opposite your sign. This only happens every month for two days so it’s not a big deal. In two weeks, the Moon will be in your sign and some people will have to go more than halfway when dealing with you. Capisce?
Issues at work might be frustrating today. Primarily, what you will be faced with is less productivity, less motivation and less clarity about what you’re doing. Frankly, you would rather be playing than working. So say we all.
Today is frustrating for some signs; however, for you, it is a wonderful, creative, playful, social day! You will think of ingenious, original, inventive ideas, which later you might really want to use. Let the good times roll!
You might want to cocoon at home today, which would make a lot of sense because you don’t feel very ambitious. And your objectives are somewhat blurred today because you would rather be somewhere else. Be as low-key as possible.
Jazz singer-pianist Diana Krall (1964) shares your birthday today. You have a great sense of humor. You are charming, charismatic, sensitive and compassionate. You are also independent and practical, and you love intrigue! In six weeks, a new nine-year cycle will begin for you. It will open up many possibilities. You might start a new business activity or change residences. Open any door because your future is in your hands.
Winning numbers for Nov. 15, 2016 chron.com
2016-11-16 02:00 Georgia Nicols chicago.suntimes.com
29 /100 0.0 Donald Trump considers Ted Cruz for U. S. attorney general: report (1.03/9) President-elect Donald Trump is eyeing Ted Cruz as the next U. S. attorney general, a person familiar with the matter has revealed.
The 45-year-old Texas senator met with Trump at his namesake tower in midtown Manhattan Tuesday evening, and declined to comment when reporters asked after the meeting if he was under consideration for a cabinet position.
But an unnamed source told Bloomberg Politics later in the evening that Trump's transition team had pitched the attorney general post to Cruz during the meeting.
The Daily News could not independently confirm the report, and Cruz spokeswoman Catherine Frazier declined to back up the claims.
Trump, Pence huddle to narrow list of cabinet appointees
"Cruz is focused on serving Texans in the Senate," Frazier said in a statement. "He was there today to offer help in promoting the conservative policies that were campaigned on and that he's long fought for. "
The potential job offer might come as a surprise to some, as Trump repeatedly slandered Cruz as "Lyin' Ted" throughout the contentious Republican primaries. Cruz, who unsuccessfully sought the GOP presidential nomination, in turn refused to endorse Trump during his convention speech in July.
Trump took to Twitter after the Tuesday evening meeting to boast about being the only one in the know about who will ultimately make it onto his administration. "Very organized process taking place as I decide on Cabinet and many other positions," he tweeted. "I am the only one who knows who the finalists are! "
Donald Trump starts assembling cabinet, with Chris Christie out
Trump was purportedly mulling ex-Mayor Rudy Guiliani for attorney general, but reports that emerged Monday suggested Giuliani was being considered as secretary of state instead.
Report: Ted Cruz in talks to be Trump's attorney general msnbc.com
2016-11-16 05:15 CHRIS SOMMERFELDT feeds.nydailynews.com
30 /100 0.0 Prince William urges Vietnam to step up anti-wildlife trade (1.02/9) Britain's Prince William on Wednesday urged Vietnamese leaders to step up the fight against trafficking in wildlife species, the main theme of his first visit to the communist country.
The Duke of Cambridge, who is president of United for Wildlife, met Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh on Wednesday before attending a two-day conference on illegal wildlife trade starting Thursday in Hanoi.
"During his call on the prime minister, the Duke spoke about the strength of the relationship between the United Kingdom and Vietnam and said he was looking forward to hearing what Vietnam was doing to tackle the challenges presented by the illegal wildlife trade," the prince's office said in a statement Wednesday.
It said "the Duke will engage with a wide cross section of Vietnamese society in order to encourage the work of local people to stamp out the use of things like rhino horn. "
Vietnam is one of the world's major transit points and consumers of trafficked ivory and rhino horns, which people mistakenly believe can be used a cancer cure. On Saturday, authorities destroyed 2.2 tons (4,900 pounds) of seized elephant ivory and rhino horns in a bid to stamp out trafficking. The official Vietnam News Agency quoted Prime Minister Phuc as telling William that Vietnam had paid great attention to raising awareness among the public about wildlife conservation and severe punishments were handed down.
It quoted William as telling Phuc that the fight to protect endangered wildlife is a transnational and urgent issue and that the government plays a crucial role in ensuring its success.
Prince William arrives in Vietnam for wildlife meeting article.wn.com
2016-11-16 05:43 The Associated www.charlotteobserver.com
31 /100 0.0 Beer? Wine? Or weed? Denver voters approve pot in bars (1.02/9) A glass of wine with dinner? Or maybe some marijuana?
Denver voters have approved a first-in-the-nation law allowing willing bars and restaurants to give patrons the option to use marijuana alongside a cocktail or meal. The catch: Smoking pot won't be allowed inside, and the locations would have to first get the approval of neighbors.
Denver voters approved Proposition 300 on the same day that the nation's largest state of California and two others legalized pot for all adults and five more states approved pot for sick people — signs of society's increasing tolerance for the drug.
"It's the sensible thing to do," said Emmett Reistroffer, a Denver marijuana consultant and campaign manager for the pot-in-bars measure. "This is about personal responsibility and respecting adults who want to have a place to enjoy cannabis. "
Denver's measure takes effect immediately, but it has a lot of caveats.
First, interested bars and restaurants would have to show they have neighborhood support before getting a license to allow marijuana use. In addition, patrons would have to bring their own weed to comply with state law banning the sale of both pot and food or drink at a single location.
Patrons at participating bars could use pot inside as long as it isn't smoked. The law does provide for the possibility of outside smoking areas under restrictive circumstances. The law also allows for non-service establishments, such as yoga galleries or art galleries, to set up pot- smoking areas or hold events serving both pot and food and drink.
Mason Tvert, a spokesman for the national Marijuana Policy Project and a Denver proponent of the consumption law, said the measure would reduce instances of tourists smoking pot on sidewalks and in parks because they have nowhere private to consume weed.
A Denver billboard promoting the measure featured a large arrow pointing to a sidewalk below, telling voters that without a provision for social pot use, folks will keep smoking pot in plain view.
"We are setting up a system that is still more restrictive than what we see with alcohol consumption," Tvert said.
Supporters of the measure had no guess on how many establishments would apply for the permits or how long it would take for them to demonstrate community acceptance and receive permits. So it could take many months before Denver sees any Amsterdam-style coffee shops.
The measure sunsets in 2020, unless city officials renew the licenses or voters make the pot-in- bars measure permanent.
Current Colorado law allows jurisdictions to decide for themselves when pot could be used in public. The result is a hodgepodge of local ordinances related to marijuana clubs.
Denver is the first city to allow use in bars and restaurants.
"The entire goal of this initiative is to provide adults with private places where they can consume cannabis so they're not consuming in public," said Tvert, who said the initiative helps not just tourists but adults who may not want to use pot in front of their kids, or tenants whose landlords exercise their right to ban pot use.
Alaska is the only state that expressly regulates on-site consumption at pot retailers. However, the state doesn't allow use in bars or restaurants, and it's still working on rules for how those pot- shop "tasting rooms" would operate.
California's recreational marijuana measure approved last week allows pot clubs, and legalization measures approved in Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada don't rule out on-site pot consumption on private property.
Opponents of the Denver measure predicted neighborhoods would resist bars, restaurants and other venues seeking pot licenses. They warned the measure won't properly protect the public from stoned patrons leaving a bar that allows smoking and drinking at the same time.
"How can these businesses possibly monitor patrons for marijuana intoxication? " opponent Rachel O'Bryan said in a statement Tuesday.
The measure would require any interested bar or restaurant to specially train staff in marijuana use and submit an operations plan to show how it would prevent marijuana use by underage patrons. Applicants must also specify strategies and procedures for identifying and responding to the potential over-intoxication of consumers.
Colorado lawmakers are expected to consider a bill next year to give all jurisdictions a green light for allowing pot clubs or cafes, though marijuana activists hoped for a similar measure last session and were disappointed.
Beer? Wine? Or weed? Denver voters approve pot in bars - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports news9.com
2016-11-16 05:39 By KRISTEN www.miamiherald.com
32 /100 0.0 Trump's school choice expansion plan may face uphill battle (1.02/9) School voucher programs in the nation's capital and Vice President-elect Mike Pence's home state of Indiana could serve as a blueprint for a Trump administration plan to use public money to enable disadvantaged students to attend the public or private school of their choice.
President-elect Donald Trump made clear that school choice would be an education priority.
Speaking at a Cleveland charter school in September, he vowed to funnel $20 billion in existing federal dollars into scholarships for low-income students. That's an idea that would require approval from Congress, which last year passed a bipartisan overhaul of No Child Left Behind and is unlikely to alter it in the near future. Still, there are smaller-scale ways Trump could reshape public education.
A first step might be asking Congress to restore funding to the D. C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, the country's first federally funded, private school voucher program. The House voted to extend funding earlier this year, but a companion bill has stalled in the Senate.
Gerard Robinson, a resident fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute who advised the Trump campaign on education policy, called the D. C. program "a good place to start. "
Created in 2004, the program last year gave vouchers to about 1,200 low-income students. The vouchers are capped at $8,452 for kindergarten through 8th grade and $12,679 for high school. Among the 40-plus schools participating are elite private schools like Sidwell Friends, which has counted among its students Chelsea Clinton and Malia and Sasha Obama. The idea of allowing public funds to follow individual students to a charter, magnet or private school isn't new. Programs are already in place in states like Indiana, where Pence, as governor, oversaw a dramatic expansion of vouchers in the state. Nearly 33,000 students participated last school year, up from nearly 4,000 in 2011-12. The vouchers are awarded on a sliding scale based on income and family size. For 2015-2016, the top voucher averaged nearly $5,500 for a high school student.
The Indiana Supreme Court upheld the program in 2013, ruling that it didn't violate a state constitutional provision against public funding for religious programs.
At the federal level, Congress considered allowing Title I funds targeted for low-income students to follow them to the school where they enroll, but that idea was ultimately scrapped in the final version of NCLB's successor, the Every Students Succeeds Act.
Vic Klatt, a principal of Penn Hill Group who has worked on federal education policy for more than two decades, says school choice has a better chance now, but it won't be easy.
"There will be tons of support for charters. Full-scale private choice will be a battle," Klatt said at an Education Writers Association panel discussion this week. "It's going to depend on how much emphasis this president and his people put on private school choice as an issue. "
Education observers said there are other ways to push that agenda, including tax incentives to move children from public to private schools or a Race to the Top-style grant program in which states are encouraged to adopt choice-friendly policies in exchange for funds.
The Obama administration's Race to the Top competition gave $4 billion to states that vowed to adopt more rigorous standards and turn around failing schools. States that adopted the Common Core standards in math and reading were more likely to win a slice of the pie.
Trump repeatedly promised to "put an end to Common Core," but the standards were adopted by individual states and the new education law explicitly prohibits the federal government from telling states which standards to adopt, Common Core or otherwise.
Trump's campaign plan for school choice was scant on details: He did not say where the $20 billion in federal funding would come from or how it would be doled out.
"I think what you're going to hear from him is a shift from the term school choice to parental choice," Robinson said in an interview with The Associated Press, adding that he was speaking for himself, not the Trump transition team. Robinson has been mentioned as a possible education secretary in a Trump administration.
Research on school choice programs like the D. C. Opportunity Scholarship suggests mixed results.
One evaluation of the D. C. voucher program found students had slightly higher reading scores but no significant improvements in math. A subsequent review of that study, however, found it downplayed results showing higher scores were concentrated among certain groups of students.
"I would have hoped for and expected better results than we saw," said Kevin Welner, director of the National Education Policy Center at the University of Colorado Boulder. Some education leaders expressed doubt that Trump's proposal would be roundly welcomed at a time when there has been increasing skepticism of large-scale expansions of alternatives like charters.
Voters in Massachusetts and Georgia rejected ballot measures that would have paved the way for the creation of more charter schools.
"I think you would get a limited number of states that would take advantage of it," said Kristen Amundson, executive director of the National Association of State Boards of Education. "It's not something that is being universally asked for. "
---
Armario reported from Los Angeles. Tom Davies in Indianapolis contributed to this report.
Trump's school choice expansion plan may face uphill battle - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports news9.com
2016-11-16 04:58 By CHRISTINE www.charlotteobserver.com
33 /100 0.0 Obama's alumni-to-be contemplate life after the White House (1.02/9) WASHINGTON (AP) - Their BlackBerrys are still buzzing, day and night. For the moment, aides to President Barack Obama still have world leaders to worry about, distant wars to help manage and decisions to make that affect the nation. All that will come to a crashing halt on Jan. 20, Inauguration Day. Hoping to ensure that his staffers find decent jobs, Obama and his team have brought in representatives from Facebook, Instagram and other companies to offer insights into the job market. Officials from LinkedIn are helping White House staffers identify ways to market their skills. And Georgetown University, not far from the White House, has designed a custom professional development program dubbed "Future44" - Obama is the 44th president - to teach Obama's political appointees how to position themselves for life after the White House. "You go through a detox period," said Michael Wear, who worked for Obama for four years on faith- based outreach. "It was like my brain, after so much time working incredible hours and having to be so attentive to so many inputs, I would be holding my glasses and asking my wife where my glasses were. " Even before the election, few if any of Obama's aides were expected to stay for the next administration. Many are flat-out exhausted and anticipated that Hillary Clinton, if elected, would want to install her own team. But Donald Trump's upset victory foreclosed any possibility that any of the nearly 500 staffers will stick around. For those who have dedicated years to Obama's mission, often missing out on holidays or family occasions, Trump's win and his promises to undo most of Obama's accomplishments were a demoralizing blow. And the fact that Republicans retained control of both the House and Senate means there will be fewer opportunities for Obama-era aides to move into other government jobs here. At Georgetown, 271 Obama appointees have already gone through the Future44 program, provided at no cost thanks to an anonymous donor. Participants register for either four 2-hour evening sessions or one 8-hour "boot camp. " "We designed this unique curriculum to help these staffers think through how to market themselves or market their competencies," said Kelly Otter, dean of Georgetown's School of Continuing Studies. Many outgoing White House staffers are expected to move to the San Francisco area and New York, places with high-tech jobs and cultural sensibilities that overlap with the culture in Obama's White House. Those staffers would be joining dozens of other former Obama aides who have gone on to work for Google, Amazon, Vice, Snapchat and similar companies that cater largely to millennials. "There are a lot of mission-driven organizations here," said Clark Stevens, who moved to San Francisco to work for AirBnB after working in the White House and the Homeland Security Department. "These are areas of innovation, and they're providing new solutions. That aligns in a lot of ways with the focus of the president. " To help prepare staff for post-West Wing life, the White House has been hosting "digital brown bag" lunches about digital media and technological developments, involving both outside speakers and Obama staffers who worked recently at Google and other companies. Smaller sessions within specific departments have focused on making the transition from government to the private sector. White House spokeswoman Jennifer Friedman said Obama had directed staff to keep working on his priorities full-speed until Inauguration Day, but was mindful that the end is a little more than nine weeks. "The transition out of government is a reality for most appointees, which brings both excitement about prospects for the next chapter or a long-awaited chance to recharge batteries, and a keen awareness about a big, impending change," Friedman said. That change can be jarring for longtime staffers, and even a letdown. Ivan Adler, a headhunter at McCormick Group who specializes in government affairs, said most go on to work in one of two settings: firms, like consulting and lobbying agencies, or organizations like trade associations, think tanks and nonprofits. "I tell everybody: You have to understand there's likely nothing you will do professionally that will have the same amount of excitement you've just gone through in the White House, unless you become a racecar driver or an astronaut," Adler said. For Wear, who left Obama's orbit in 2013 after the re-election, life after the White House involved starting his own consulting firm, then penning a forthcoming book called "Reclaiming Hope" about the intersection of faith and politics in the White House. "I've been healthier since I left," Wear said. "And I'm very much enjoying my life now. " ___ Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at. Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Life in the White House bubble? Trump's had practice charlotteobserver.com
2016-11-16 04:58 www.cbs46.com
34 /100 0.0 Another top lawyer quits child sex abuse inquiry
(1.02/9) Another senior lawyer has reportedly quit the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. Aileen McColgan has resigned from the investigation due to concerns over its leadership, BBC Newsnight reported. Ms McColgan, who is also a law professor at Kings' College London, was involved in the inquiry's investigations into the Anglican and Catholic Church Her reported departure follows senior counsel Ben Emmerson's resignation a day after he was suspended. Mr Emmerson's junior colleague, Elizabeth Prochaska, also stood down. Current chair Professor Alexis Jay became the fourth person to lead the inquiry after Dame Lowell Goddard's resignation. An inquiry spokeswoman did not confirm or deny Ms McColgan's departure. She said: "We have a large legal team comprising a number of junior counsel, senior counsel and solicitors. "They come and go subject to their professional obligations and we are not commenting on specifics. " Commons Home Affairs Committee chair Yvette Cooper said she would request evidence from Ms McColgan and called for transparency over what had gone wrong in the inquiry. She told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "What' s unclear is how much this has been about legacy problems and, clearly, personality issues, but whether there were also structural issues for the last two years and the difficulties they had, or whether there were ongoing problems for the future. "I think if we had some transparency about the things that had gone wrong in the past then that will help us be confident that it's all back on track now. "But you can't stress enough that this has got to be about getting it back on track for the survivors of child abuse because they really need to know that this inquiry is going to be effective. " Another top lawyer quits child sexual abuse inquiry theguardian.com
2016-11-16 04:36 Press Association www.dailymail.co.uk
35 /100 (1.02/9) 0.0 DA right on Zuma's tail Maimane laid charges against Zuma at the Rosebank police station for contravention of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.
"We contend that the State of Capture report by the former public protector, advocate Thuli Madonsela, provides extensive prima facie evidence of corruption, undue influence and interference by President Zuma, members of the Gupta family and other actors - all to further their own personal interests at the expense of the South African people," he said.
In his affidavit, Maimane sets out in detail the potential offences allegedly committed by Zuma in terms of the act: general corruption; corrupt activities relating to contracts; contempt, conspiracy and inducement of another person to contravene the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act; and failure to discharge the legal duty to report corruption transactions.
He said there were two incidents highlighted in Madonsela's report that showed the president was aware of underhand state dealings.
The first related to a submission made by the former CEO of the Government Communication and Information System, Temba Maseko, that Zuma had instructed that funds be deviated to the Gupta-owned The New Age newspaper.
The second was the confirmation by Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas that the Gupta family had offered him money to accept the job of finance minister.
Maimane said knowingly failing to act against corrupt activity was an offence in itself.
"If you know clearly that a corrupt act is being committed here, you are obliged to do something," he said.
The DA leader said he had received reassurance from the police that the case would be dealt with. "The wheels of justice might turn slowly, but they do turn," he said.
"Acts of corruption steal away from the livelihood of the country. "
Zuma - who survived a no-confidence vote in Parliament on Thursday last week over allegations of influence-peddling - was studying the report and reserved the right to challenge it in court, the Presidency said after the document was released on November 2.
The carefully worded report by Madonsela, who reached the end of her tenure as public protector on October 14, stopped short of asserting that crimes had been committed and called for a judge to investigate the allegations.
It focused on allegations that brothers Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta influenced the appointment of cabinet ministers, and called for an investigation into whether Zuma, some of his cabinet and some state-owned companies had acted improperly.
Zuma has denied providing special favours for wealthy friends, including the Guptas, who run a business empire from media to mining.
They, too, have denied wrongdoing.
Eskom CE Brian Molefe announced his resignation a week after he was implicated in the anti- graft report.
Molefe denied any wrongdoing but said he was leaving his post in the state-owned company's interest.
'Desperate DA' intent on using courts at all costs â ANC news24.com
2016-11-16 03:10 GENEVIEVE QUINTAL www.timeslive.co.za
36 /100 0.0 Saudi Arabia warns Trump on blocking oil imports
(1.02/9) Saudi Arabia has warned Donald Trump that the incoming U. S. president will risk the health of his country's economy if he acts on his election promises to block oil imports.
In a sign of the difficulties Mr Trump faces over his campaign pledges to create "complete American energy independence" from "our foes and the oil cartels", Saudi Arabia's energy minister pointedly reminded the president-elect that the U. S. "benefits more than anybody else from global free trade", adding, "energy is the lifeblood of the global economy". "At his heart President-elect Trump will see the benefits and I think the oil industry will also be advising him accordingly that blocking trade in any product is not healthy," Khalid al-Falih, who is also chairman of Aramco, the state-run oil company, told the Financial Times in Marrakesh, where he is leading Saudi Arabia's delegation in UN climate talks.
Mr Falih, whose kingdom is the world's largest exporter of crude, said that, although the US imported millions of barrels of oil, it had also "benefited hugely" from being able to freely sell "significant amounts" of exported products.
This free trade had underpinned a thriving refining industry and a shale revolution that had been able to "create a lot of jobs and value", he said.
"The U. S. is sort of the flag-bearer for capitalism and free markets," he added.
"The US continues to be a very important part of a global industry that is interconnected, that is dealing with a fungible commodity which is crude oil. So having equalization through free trade is very healthy for oil. "
Mr Falih said Saudi Arabia was still waiting to see exactly what Mr Trump does once he takes office in January and some of his campaign rhetoric had amounted to "50,000 feet announcements" that could change.
"It is common that once presidents start governing then a lot more substance comes out," he said, adding that Saudi Arabia believed the new administration should be given time to "digest all the issues", including how it implements the Paris climate deal being discussed in Marrakesh.
SaudiArabia will stick to Paris accord climate change pledges
MohamedAlabbar to launch $1bn ecommerce platform
Saudi Arabia set to reveal depth of oil reserves
Mr Trump has vowed to "cancel" the accord that almost 200 nations sealed in December and has called climate change a "hoax" fabricated by China to hurt U. S. industry.
Saudi Arabia has been among a vocal group of countries insisting that the US election outcome will not affect their plans to curb greenhouse gases under the Paris deal, which Mr Falih described as "a watershed agreement" and "a great thing" that needed to be implemented "sooner rather than later".
However, the minister also said Mr Trump had made some "positive" comments about the importance of fossil fuels.
"We need to address climate change, we need to limit the temperature rise globally to the maximum extent but we cannot do it at the expense of keeping people in poverty and stopping their economic development," the Saudi minister said.
While the world's use of fossil fuels would inevitably "decline over time" as renewable energy became cheaper and better, he said oil and gas were going to remain "a significant part of the energy mix" for years.
The Paris agreement allowed all countries to tackle climate change according to their own capabilities, which meant no one was suggesting the U. S. had to be put in "a straitjacket", the minister said.
Reflecting the frustration of many countries in Marrakesh, Mr Falih said the industrial and technological strength of the U. S. meant it would find it easier to abide by the Paris accord than poorer nations.
"If you think of economies like India and China and other energy intensive economies, I think the U. S. has a lot more flexibility to meet Paris with less sacrifices," he said.
"The U. S. already enjoys a competitive advantage in terms of its energy costs and I think, given what is happening in technology and renewables, especially in the US capabilities in that regard, I think the U. S. will find that provided everybody lives by Paris, the U. S. would retain if not improve its global competitive position. "
As government leaders arrived in Marrakesh on Tuesday, François Hollande, France's president, led calls for Mr Trump to stick with the Paris accord.
"The U. S., the most powerful economy in the world, the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, must respect the commitments that were made," he said. "It's not simply their duty, it's in their interest. "
Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, told reporters that he hoped Mr Trump would change course, given the urgent need to tackle global warming.
"As president of the United States, I'm sure that he will understand this. He will listen and he will evaluate his campaign remarks," he said.
Door-to-door book salesman takes his knocks in Saudi Arabia dailymail.co.uk
2016-11-16 02:55 Pilita Clark www.cnbc.com
37 /100 0.0 Pipeline Company Seeks Federal Court OK to Proceed With Plan (1.02/9) The company building the $3.8 billion Dakota Access oil pipeline has asked a federal judge's permission to circumvent President Barack Obama's administration and move ahead with a disputed section of the project in North Dakota , as opponents held protests across the country against the pipeline.
Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners and a subsidiary asked the court on Tuesday to let them lay pipe under a Missouri River reservoir, a plan the Standing Rock Sioux tribe says threatens its drinking water and cultural sites. The Army Corps of Engineers said Monday it needs more time to study the impact of the plan. While President-elect Donald Trump, a pipeline supporter, likely would greenlight the project when he takes office in January, the company is trying to win federal approval — or a court order — to allow it to go forward sooner. The delay has already cost nearly $100 million, the company said in court documents, "and further delay in the consideration of this case would add millions of dollars more each month in costs which cannot be recovered. "
In a statement Tuesday, the company blamed the Obama administration for "political interference" in the pipeline review process.
The Army Corps referred a request for comment to the Justice Department , which declined comment.
Protests were being held Tuesday across the country, from California to Vermont. Activists called for demonstrations at Army Corps of Engineers offices and at banks financing the pipeline construction.
More than two dozen people were arrested near Mandan, North Dakota, after a group of about 400 protesters put a truck and tree branches on BNSF Railway tracks near a pipeline work staging area and tried to set it on fire, Morton County sheriff's spokesman Rob Keller said.
"They had a rope soaked with kerosene," he said. "A (Highway Patrol) trooper with an extinguisher doused it so it wouldn't light. "
Trains were delayed three hours, railroad spokeswoman Amy McBeth said. Officers in riot gear used pepper spray and in one instance a stun gun against protesters who refused to leave.
Mandan is about 50 miles north of a camp where hundreds of protesters have gathered in recent months to oppose the pipeline. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental attorney and president of the New York-based Waterkeeper Alliance, which seeks to protect watersheds worldwide, visited the camp Tuesday, speaking out against the arrests of protesters and a project he says will benefit billionaires and not the American people.
"What they are doing here is a crime, an environmental crime, and there are real victims," he said.
In Columbus, Ohio, police reported an activist blocked traffic by handcuffing himself under a vehicle at a downtown intersection. In Montpelier, Vermont, more than 100 people gathered outside a bank, chanting, singing songs and holding signs saying "Water is Life" and "Standing With Standing Rock. "
"It may seem hopeless, like David against Goliath, but we believe that if we're persistent and we recruit, that this movement will grow and hopefully these kinds of projects will stop," said protester Lee Shen of Thetford Center, Vermont.
The Corps on Monday called for more study and input from the Standing Rock Sioux before it decides whether to allow the pipeline to cross under Lake Oahe. The 1,200-mile pipeline that's to carry North Dakota oil through South Dakota and Iowa to a shipping point in Illinois is largely complete except for that stretch, which will skirt the tribe's reservation.
Gov. Jack Dalrymple said Tuesday that an additional delay "does nothing but prolong and intensify the public safety issues imposed on Morton County and the state of North Dakota since the beginning of August," when protests against the pipeline broke out. In his statement, Dalrymple said a decision on the project easement "is long overdue" and that the pipeline would be safe.
The Corps in July granted Energy Transfer Partners the permits needed for the project, but it said in September that further analysis was warranted, given the tribe's concerns. Its announcement Monday came amid speculation that federal officials were on the brink of approving the crossing. ETP last week began preparing equipment to bore under the river.
ETP disputes that the pipeline would endanger the tribe, and CEO Kelcy Warren noted earlier that Army Assistant Secretary Jo-Ellen Darcy had informed company officials and Tribal Chairman Dave Archambault that the Corps' previous permit decisions "comported with legal requirements. " ETP contends that the Corps has no legal justification for the delay.
———
Associated Press writer Dave Kolpack contributed to this story from Fargo, North Dakota. Associated Press writer Dave Gram contributed from Montpelier, Vermont.
Pipeline company seeks federal court OK to proceed with plan mynorthwest.com
2016-11-16 02:13 By abcnews.go.com
38 /100 0.0 Australia takes delivery of first P-8A anti-submarine jet
(1.02/9) Australia's prime minister on Wednesday took delivery of the air force's first Boeing P-8A surveillance and anti-submarine aircraft which will take a front-line role in preventing asylum seekers from reaching the Australian coast by boat. ... Australia Takes Delivery of First P-8A Anti-Submarine Jet abcnews.go.com
2016-11-16 02:08 system article.wn.com
39 /100 0.0 A likely beneficiary of Trump’s tough talk on trade: China
(1.02/9) China, the world's second- largest economy is the key driver of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a trade deal between the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus regional trading partners including Australia , China, India , Japan , New Zealand and South Korea.
Beijing is already gearing up to push the RCEP more aggressively as the East Asian giant takes on a growing regional leadership role.
Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook .
Social media in China is abuzz over a bird that resembles Trump latimes.com
2016-11-16 02:00 Huileng Tan www.cnbc.com
40 /100 40 /100 0.0 Maine refugees to Trump: ‘Tell us … that we have a place in America’ (1.02/9) When she heard that Donald Trump had won the presidential election, Judicaelle Irakoze started worrying about a worst-case scenario.
Irakoze, 21, came to Maine after fleeing Burundi in 2013 and was granted political asylum in April. But after more than a year of anti-immigrant campaign rhetoric from Trump and his supporters, Irakoze is worried that asylum status won’t protect her.
“His words created fear in our hearts,” Irakoze said.
“Maybe he didn’t mean it, but I am very worried that I will be sent to Africa or something like that. I realize I have legal status, but I think, he is the president, maybe he can change that, I don’t know,” she said. “It is really uncertain. We are waiting for him to give a speech at the White House to comfort us immigrants, to tell us that we are still OK, that we have a place in America.”
Since Trump’s election, immigrant legal advocates say they have been swamped with calls from clients who, like Irakoze, are worried about the future. Some of the immigrants are in the midst of seeking asylum, a process that can take three years because of a federal backlog.
“Our clients are genuinely fearful,” said Anna Welch, head of the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic at the University of Maine School of Law. “I think the fear is (that) at all levels they could face deportation, even if they have legal status.”
Welch said she has too little information to provide reassurance.
“The message should be that we don’t know what is to come and we don’t want to create panic, but there will be some changes,” Welch said.
Some community leaders in Maine, including Portland Mayor Ethan Strimling, have tried to calm fears within Maine’s refugee and immigrant community by issuing statements that they remain welcome.
There is still a lot of uncertainty about what action President-elect Trump will take regarding immigrants, both those who are living here illegally and those who have legal status.
Trump told CBS-TV’s “60 Minutes” on Sunday that his administration planned to deport or imprison up to 3 million immigrants who have criminal records. In 2013, the U. S. Department of Homeland Security estimated there were 1.9 million “removable criminal aliens” in the country, a group that includes many people who have legal status such as green cards.
Researchers estimate that there are 690,000 people living in the U. S. illegally who have felony or serious misdemeanor convictions. The Obama administration has for years had a policy of prioritizing people with such convictions for deportation.
Trump’s stated position Sunday was somewhat softer than some of his campaign rhetoric. He made headlines by calling Mexican immigrants rapists and drug dealers, and proposing to ban Muslims from the U. S., among other statements. A central campaign promise was to build a wall on the U. S.-Mexico border and order the mass deportation of millions of people living in the country illegally. Initially, Trump said he intended to deport an estimated 11 million immigrants living here illegally, but Monday he said his administration hasn’t decided on action against the large majority of those immigrants who have no criminal records.
At an August rally in Portland, Trump suggested a link between crime in Maine and the state’s Somali immigrant community. The remarks were denounced by city officials and community members at a mass rally at Portland City Hall.
Despite the tone of the campaign, Trump picked up support from some new Americans, including Irakoze’s friend, Follyvi Alognon.
Alognon, 27, said he came to the U. S. from Togo more than 15 years ago and got citizenship in 2012. Last week, he voted for Trump.
“It’s inspiring. Everyone was against him and he fought his way up,” Alognon said. Trump’s rhetoric was tough, but Alognon said it targeted people who shouldn’t be in the country, not people who immigrated legally and stayed out of trouble, like he did.
“The people who came here illegally, for them it is not good,” he said.
Uncertainty about Trump’s immigration policy is fostering fear among her clients, said Susan Roche, director of the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project in Portland.
“Unfortunately, we are really not going to know what is going to happen until the new administration has started,” Roche said.
About 3,000 refugees were resettled by the federal government in Maine from 2010 to 2015, according to Catholic Charities, the agency that administers local resettlements. Refugees are different from asylum seekers, who typically arrive in the country with a temporary visa and then apply for the right to stay and avoid political persecution in their home countries. There are about 1,000 asylum seekers in the Portland area, and Roche’s organization represents about 200 clients, she said.
One group believed to be at particular risk includes people who were children when they were brought into the country by their parents without authorization. They were given legal status through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program approved by an executive order of President Obama. Trump has said he will reverse that order. Dozens of people in Maine qualified under the program, Roche said.
At Catholic Charities, it’s business as usual, said spokeswoman Judy Katzel.
“At this point, we have decided it is not worth speculating what will happen next year in the Trump administration,” she said. “While there may be some concerns in the refugee community, we really believe that most Mainers understand that refugees resettling in Maine come here to seek peace, community, stability and the ability to start new lives far, far away from the horrific conditions in their home countries.”
Catholic Charities already is dealing with a challenge from Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who told the Obama administration two weeks ago that Maine would no longer administer the federal refugee resettlement program because he did not trust the government to properly vet refugees from Syria. Katzel said refugee organizations are still operating in 13 states that have pulled out of the federal program.
Civic leaders have been trying to quell post-election fear, especially after reports of violence and racial harassment in other states.
In Lewiston, home to a large Somali community, Mayor Bob Macdonald released a statement Monday saying harassment of any members of the community would not be tolerated. Interim Police Chief Brian O’Malley said his department received no reports of harassment, and the Portland Police Department also has not received harassment reports.
In Portland, Strimling released a statement Tuesday seeking to reassure immigrants and explain that Portland is not among the sanctuary cities that could face sanctions from the Trump administration. Sanctuary cities are places where undocumented immigrants are protected because city agencies do not help prosecute them. Strimling said Portland’s policy is that police will not ask people about their immigration status unless ordered by a court, but will cooperate with federal officials.
“I want to reassure our residents that they are welcome here and we will not tolerate hate crimes, bigotry or intolerance,” Strimling said. “And we will not participate in any witch hunts that intimidate our residents.”
Trump’s victory surprised many, and leaders in the immigrant community have been trying to cool tensions.
Maxwell Chikuta, who came to Maine from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2003 and became a citizen, said he has tried to reassure asylum seekers who are terrified they will be deported.
“I was like, ‘You know guys, come on, it is not going to happen like that,'” Chikuta said. “All I know is that if you keep yourself clean, you are not criminal, you do what they ask you to do, you are going to be in this country if you are following the rules.”
Mahmoud Hassan, president of the Somali Community Center of Maine, said he has been speaking in mosques and community centers since the election, trying to play down fear of a Trump administration.
“We are trying to do all our best to tell people this is a constitutional democracy, we have checks and balances to counter executive branch policies, we have courts for legal redress,” Hassan said. “We have to not be afraid about anything happening. This is not a totalitarian regime.”
Were you interviewed for this story? If so, please fill out our accuracy form
Send questions/comments to the editors. The best place to drink and watch the Trump circus nypost.com
2016-11-16 01:48 By www.pressherald.com
41 /100 0.0 Trump May Have Won, But Ford Is Still Moving Its Small Car Production to Mexico (1.02/9) During his campaign Donald Trump singled out Ford by name, calling on the American car manufacturer to stop sending jobs to Mexico and threatening to slap tariffs on any cars imported from south of the border.
Ford’s Chief Executive Officer Mark Fields must not respond well to threats; he admitted to Reuters on Tuesday that Ford was still planning on moving the production of its small cars from Michigan to — you guessed it — Mexico.
“We’re going forward with our plan to move production of the Ford Focus to Mexico,” he confessed at an interview during the Los Angeles Auto Show. Still, Fields claimed that the move would not have any effect at all on American jobs because the move south will “make room for two very important products we’ll be putting back into Michigan plants.”
Ford has yet to announce what exactly those “important products” are, but Fields at least is convinced that the move will lead to “no job impact whatsoever.”
While Trump won the White House on his promise to keep American manufacturing jobs in America and punish companies that move jobs overseas — hitting them with “a 35 percent tax when they want to ship their products back into the United States” — Ford still considers it cheaper to manufacture outside of the country.
“It’s very difficult for us to be able to make money on a vehicle produced in the U. S,” said Fields, explaining that if they were to raise the cost of their smaller cars to compensate for the increased cost of manufacturing in the United States the car just “wouldn’t sell.”
Carmakers may not be pleased with Trump’s stance on American manufacturing but they are still eager to do business with him. The group representing American carmakers — including Ford — is already lobbying Trump’s team to do away with President Obama’s fuel economy standards which would compel car manufacturers to double the fuel efficiency of their vehicles by 2025.
Fields, for one, doesn’t see the contradiction. Fuel economy and trade he says “are two separate issues.”
United States-Costa Rica Summary wtop.com
2016-11-16 01:16 Charley Lanyon feedproxy.google.com
42 /100 0.0 Court takes up appeal in New Hampshire student killing case (1.02/9) CONCORD, N. H. (AP) — The New Hampshire Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in the case of a man convicted of killing a University of New Hampshire student. Nineteen-year-old Elizabeth "Lizzi" Marriott, of Westborough, Massachusetts, was killed in 2012, and her body has not been found. Seth Mazzaglia (muh-ZAYL'-ee-uh) is serving a life sentence after being convicted of murder, but has filed an appeal based on Marriott's alleged prior consensual sexual activity. During the appeals process, his attorneys have sought to have previously sealed documents related to Marriott's sexual past made public, but the court has ruled such information will stay private. Oral arguments are scheduled for Wednesday.
Court Takes up Appeal in New Hampshire Student Killing Case abcnews.go.com
2016-11-16 01:11 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk
43 /100 0.0 North Georgia wildfire reaches more than 23,000 acres - Story (1.02/9) FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. - Fire officials said the Rough Ridge fire in Fannin County has now reached more than 23,000 acres and while it is 30 percent contained, it still has potential given the severe dry conditions.
“The smoke came into our place with a vengeance,” said Cres Keys who lives just a few miles from the wildfire. “In about an hour it was so smoky you could barely breathe outside.” Fire officials said there is currently no threat to homes. Tuesday evening residents gathered at the command center to interact with officials and ask questions about the fire.
Keys said his wife recently came home from the hospital after having surgery and health concerns is one of the reasons he attended the open house.
“I was concerned about myself, my wife, my animals and my premises out there,” said Keys. “Everything I have ever worked for in 73 is tied up in that acre I have up there in the house.”
The fire started October 16 after a lightning strike. Heavy smoke has filled the air in north Georgia and made its way down into metro Atlanta.
More than 200 firefighters have been battling the massive wildfire that officials hope to be out by the end of December.
“We had hand crews over there putting out hot spots that are along the line and we also have engines over there protecting the structure,” said division supervisor, Reggie Forcine.
Forcine said the crews hike about 14 miles every day with their gear to get to the flames.
Fire officials said their work has been successful and are grateful for the support the community has given them.
Wildfires char over 80,000 acres in the parched South post-gazette.com
2016-11-16 01:06 Nathalie Pozo www.fox5atlanta.com
44 /100 (1.02/9) 0.0 Djokovic digs deep to repel Raonic onslaught LONDON : It has been missing for a while but Novak Djokovic rediscovered his warrior spirit to tame Canada’s Milos Raonic 7-6(6) 7- 6(5) in a rivetting duel and guarantee progress from his group at the ATP World Tour Finals on Tuesday. Novak Djokovic outlasts Milos Raonic at ATP finals upi.com
2016-11-16 00:19 system article.wn.com
45 /100 0.0 Poroshenko appeals to Trump for support in phone call (1.02/9) Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko asked Donald Trump for support against "Russian aggression" during a congratulatory telephone conversation with the US president-elect on Tuesday.
Trump's shock election victory has been met with trepidation in Kiev because of the outspoken reality TV star's praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and his apparent indifference to the Western coalition against Moscow.
The billionaire businessman suggested earlier this year the US could accept Russia's annexation of Crimea if it led to improved relations between the two nations, which are bitterly at odds over Syria.
Poroshenko congratulated Trump on his victory and said he wished "to work together with his administration to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Ukraine and the United States", according to a statement by the Ukrainian presidency.
He also "underlined the necessity of strong support from Washington in the fight against Russian aggression and the implementation of crucial reforms" in Ukraine.
The two men agreed to organise "a bilateral meeting", the statement said, without giving further details.
The US election outcome had sparked fears in the ex-Soviet republic after Trump was accused several times by his Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton of being Putin's "puppet".
Earlier this week, Poroshenko said he had "no doubt" that Trump would refuse to recognise Russia's annexation of Crimea.
Putin and Trump spoke on the phone on Monday evening for the first time since the US vote, agreeing on the need to normalise ties between Washington and Moscow, the Kremlin said. After Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in March 2014, which saw US-Russia relations dip to their worst since the Cold War, Washington imposed heavy economic sanctions on Russia.
Russia also has been accused by Washington of supporting pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine, which the Kremlin denies.
A Tribe Called Quest and the Shadow of Trump theatlantic.com
2016-11-16 00:10 www.digitaljournal.com
46 /100 0.0 NPA's tarnished credibility must be quickly restored
(1.01/9) It is yet another blight on the authority's tarnished reputation.
The NPA is already in a state of turmoil.
Abrahams' deputy, Nomgcobo Jiba, and her colleague, Lawrence Mrwebi, head of the NPA's special crimes unit, are facing suspension after the Pretoria High Court ordered that they be struck from the roll of advocates. They are appealing the decision.
They have been placed on special leave and have to give Zuma reasons why they should not be suspended.
Judge Francis Legodi found that Jiba and Mrwebi were "not fit and proper" for their jobs following their decision to drop charges against former crime intelligence head Richard Mdluli, who faced a number of indictments, including embezzlement from a secret slush fund.
We should all be extremely concerned.
The role of the NPA is to institute and conduct criminal proceedings on behalf of the state and, in a country with such a high incidence of crime, much of it sickeningly violent, the importance of this function cannot be over-estimated.
But when its top leadership is embroiled in controversy, facing allegations that they are abusing their positions to fight political battles, and needing to show why they are fit and proper to hold office, criminals have a lot less to fear and ordinary South Africans come off second-best. Our policing and investigation can be world-class (but not always) and our judicial system is fair and independent (it has repeatedly demonstrated this) but if the body that bridges these two arms of the state is rotten, the wheels of justice will grind to a halt.
It's time to fix the NPA once and for all.
Zuma ‘heeded our advice’: Zuma gives Abrahams 14 DA claims victory in days to say why he Abrahams saga shouldn’t be suspended timeslive.co.za timeslive.co.za
2016-11-16 03:57 The Times www.timeslive.co.za
47 /100 0.0 Turkey eyes reset with U. S. under Trump, but honeymoon may be brief (1.00/9) By Nick Tattersall and Orhan Coskun ANKARA, Nov 15 (Reuters) - In the hours after Donald Trump secured the U. S. presidency, supporters of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan triumphantly took to social media, hailing the election of a man who had threatened to ban Muslims from entering the United States. At first glance, Trump seemed an unlikely hero for millions of Turks who support the Islamist-rooted AK Party founded by Erdogan in the predominantly Muslim nation. But in his victory, many saw a blow to a Washington establishment they say has failed Turkey as an ally and worked against its interests. Anti-American sentiment in Turkey - a NATO ally key to the U. S.-led fight against Islamic State in neighbouring Syria and Iraq - has risen sharply since a failed military coup in July. Erdogan and the government blame the abortive coup on Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic cleric who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999. Government supporters have been incensed by what they see as U. S. reluctance to extradite Gulen, who denies involvement in the plot, as well as Western criticism of a crackdown on his suspected followers. "We can't hide the disappointments we've felt during the Obama term," said one senior member of the AK Party, speaking on condition of anonymity because Erdogan, who sets the tone of Turkish policy, has himself made little comment so far, beyond congratulating Trump. "Trump's pre-election comments on Muslims disappointed us, but these will be relegated to the context of campaigning. Real politics is different... I think there will be much better dialogue between our president and Trump than with the previous administration," the official said. But Erdogan, like other leaders in the region, will be kept guessing by a Republican U. S. president-elect who has yet to make his policies in the Middle East clear. Many Turks have also been angered by U. S. support for a Kurdish militia fighting Islamic State in Syria, seeing them as an extension of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants who have waged a bloody three-decade insurgency in Turkey. Trump's policy on this is unclear. He has indicated, though, that his priority in the multi- sided Syrian conflict will be fighting Islamic State - not forcing President Bashar al-Assad to leave power as Ankara has long desired. This could not only put him at odds with Erdogan, but help shift the course of the Syrian civil war in favour of Assad and his allies. 'CONTROLLING HAND' In Ankara's corridors of power, few had expected Trump to win. But in his victory, senior officials sense an opportunity to reset an alliance that has been strained under Barack Obama, with whom Erdogan has had increasingly testy relations. Trump, a real estate billionaire, and Erdogan, the son of a poor sea captain, are from different worlds but their leadership styles bear striking similarities - both are populists who command a devoted following but are deeply polarising, and are not afraid to speak their mind. There is a "high chance" of good chemistry between the two leaders, said a second senior Turkish official, even if they are unlikely to always see eye to eye. "They'll sit down without any pretence. Berlusconi was a bit like that," the official said, referring to the former Italian prime minister, who enjoyed close relations with Erdogan. Following Trump's victory, Hilal Kaplan - a prominent journalist with the pro- government Sabah newspaper, which is run by the brother of Erdogan's son-in-law - tweeted: "We're happy to see the U. S. establishment cracking. " "Turkey is one of those countries that rejects America's controlling hand across the globe," she later told Reuters. "Trump's election is a blow to this international status quo. " But deep divisions are likely to persist. There may not be any swift progress on Gulen to remove a significant obstacle to smooth Turkish-U. S. ties Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has already urged Trump to extradite the cleric, but that will ultimately be an issue for the U. S. judiciary, not the president, and a legal deliberation process that could take years. Disagreements over Syria could also test relations. Trump has questioned the wisdom of backing rebels fighting Assad and has suggested cooperating with Russia - the Syrian leader's most powerful military ally - against Islamic State. And while Hillary Clinton, the Democratic U. S. presidential candidate, stoked Turkish anger during the campaign by suggesting she would arm Kurdish militias fighting the jihadists, Trump has not explicitly ruled out such a move. 'HONEYMOON' "We'll witness a period of honeymoon, post the end of the Obama period, where the relationship had become quite acrimonious," Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat and analyst at Carnegie Europe, said of Turkish-U. S. ties. "Going forward, however, we are likely to see points of divergence," he added. "Trump policies would certainly empower both the regime in Syria, the regime-friendly forces, and also Russia. That is against what Turkey has tried to do since 2011 in terms of regime change and backing the opposition. " Trump's backing of Israel will also worry Ankara, a major supporter of the Palestinians and a donor to the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. During campaigning, Trump won support in Israel with a promise that Washington would recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Palestinians want East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in a 1967 war, as capital of the state they aim to establish alongside Israel in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Trump's threat to abandon NATO allies in Europe if they do not spend enough on defence, and his arguments against international trade agreements of the kind that could benefit Turkey, are also cause for concern in Ankara. But as the world waits to see how Trump will shape his foreign policy, Ankara officialdom is remaining cautiously optimistic. "Generally, Turkish governments are more at ease with Republican administrations in the United States than they are with Democrats," said Halil Karaveli, managing editor of The Turkey Analyst, a policy journal. "A new administration is a whole new ball game," he added. "The Trump presidency represents, from the Turkish perspective, a chance for a restart. " (Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and David Dolan in Istanbul, Ercan Gurses and Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara; Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Pravin Char)
A post-Trump SEC could shake up current policy dailymail.co.uk 2016-11-16 03:00 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk
48 /100 0.0 Trillanes taunts Duterte over martial law remark
(1.00/9) Senator Antonio Trillanes IV taunted President Rodrigo Duterte for floating the idea of imposing martial law when he had already promised to step down should he fail to end the drug menace in the country within three to six months.
This after Duterte floated the possibility of imposing martial law as a “contingency to meet widespread violence.”
“Akala ko ba three to six months lang kaya nya ng tapusin ang drug problem or else magre-resign sya? Tapos ngayon kailangan na mag martial law? Anyare? Nag- supermoon (I though he could solve the drug problem within three to six months or else he would resign? And now, martial law is necessary? What happened? It became a supermoon)?” Trillanes said in a text message to reporters.
Trillanes is a member of the opposition bloc and a staunch critic of Duterte. The senator even accused the President of being behind the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country.
While he said he was not keen on imposing martial law, Duterte said it could be a “contingency” measure to solve widespread violence in the country.
“I am not a fan of Martial Law. Abugado ako e. Natakot yung mga tao sa (I’m a lawyer. People were afraid of) martial law but if ever, martial law is a contingency to meet widespread violence,” the President was quoted by the media as saying Tuesday night.
Duterte had also warned earlier that he would suspend the privilege writ of habeas corpus if lawlessness in the country would escalate. He later told congressional leaders that he was just “thinking aloud” when he made the said remark. RAM
Traffic powers bill to reach Senate floor by end of Nov. —Poe newsinfo.inquirer.net
2016-11-16 00:00 Maila Ager newsinfo.inquirer.net
49 /100 49 /100 0.0 Evacuation of New Zealand town cut off by quake nearly over (0.04/9) WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - New Zealand military leaders said Wednesday they had almost completed the evacuation of more than 700 tourists and residents from a small coastal town, two days after a powerful earthquake cut off train and vehicle access. The magnitude 7.8 quake left two people dead, triggered a small tsunami, and brought down rocks and mud that swept across highways. Air Commodore Darryn Webb, the acting commander of New Zealand's Joint Forces, told The Associated Press that crews were loading about 380 people and three dogs onto a navy ship. He said the ship was due to leave Wednesday evening for a six-hour trip to a port near Christchurch. Webb said it had evacuated another 340 people by helicopter since Tuesday. Other tourists have left by chartering their own helicopters or having air transport provided by their embassy. Some have chosen to stay until an inland road reopens. "I think it's gone really well," Webb said. "We were fortunate to have a reasonable break in the weather today. " Webb said warships from Australia, Canada and the U. S. were due to arrive soon and would help restock the town with water, fuel and other supplies as well as transport needed equipment. Australian honeymooners Kurt and Kailah Sapwell were among the tourists stuck in Kaikoura but they didn't seem too bothered by their ordeal. They said they had all the essentials they needed: a place to stay, food and water. "It's been a shaky experience, all good though," Kurt Sapwell said when Prime Minister John Key paid a visit to the town. His wife added that their honeymoon had been "memorable. " Flying over a large landslide in a helicopter, Key expressed surprise at the amount of debris. "Look at this road here, this is really stuffed and there's thousands of meters (yards) of it," Key said. "I just don't see how you can ever repair that bit of road. The whole mountain has moved over. " Home to about 2,000 residents, Kaikoura was a popular destination for travelers wanting to go on whale-watching expeditions before the quake hit. On Wednesday, Key promised business owners the government would provide financial assistance for them through what was going to be a tough summer. President-elect Donald Trump called Key on Wednesday to pass on his sympathies over the quake. Key's office described the conversation as "very warm and cordial. " Trump had tried to get in touch earlier in the week but Key had missed the call in the confusion after the quake. Authorities on Wednesday also managed to clear an emergency inland road to Kaikoura, although it was only open for military vehicles. Neil Walker, the highways manager for the New Zealand Transport Agency, said the road remains high-risk and unsuitable for cars, although crews were working to open it to the public by the weekend. In the capital, Wellington, several streets remained cordoned off after engineers determined that a nine-story office building was in danger of collapsing. Brendan Nally, the regional commander for the New Zealand Fire Service, said engineers were completing an inspection of the building Tuesday when they found a major vertical beam had failed above the fifth floor. Wellington Mayor Justin Lester told the AP that the building would likely have to be demolished. He said he didn't believe it posed a risk to public safety because of the precautions authorities had taken in evacuating the area around it. Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
New Zealand completes The Latest: Evacuation from evacuation from town cut off quake-hit New Zealand town by quake ends cbs46.com cbs46.com
2016-11-16 05:38 www.cbs46.com
50 /100 0.0 San Mateo students promote respect, understanding during protest that drew hundreds (0.04/9) Hundreds of students Tuesday stormed out of three San Mateo High schools to protest the results of the presidential election. It's the seventh straight day Bay Area students have taken to the streets. The students said their message was one of respect and understanding in the face of the divisive, harsh rhetoric of the elections. A press release from the superintendent said leaving class would result in an unexcused absence, but that did not deter students. The largest group came from San Mateo High. About 300 left their classrooms. Many others in the school of 1,700 did not join. "They're walking just to go with somebody else and be followers and that's what I think people are doing today," said San Mateo High School student Mikos Maheras. "The elections are already over and all these rallies are really pointless to me," said San Mateo High School student Nick Peters. As they marched toward Central Park in downtown San Mateo, those along the way expressed their support. Jessica Millan is an alum from San Mateo High. "Seeing these kids support something they truly believe in just really makes me proud," Millan said. At the park, the young demonstrators from San Mateo High were joined by those from Aragon and Hillsdale high schools. The crowd grew to about 1,000 students. Justin Sell is a student government leader form Aragon. He wanted to clarify a misconception. "Pro-respect, pro-love, pro-acceptance. Pro-understanding. It's not anti- Trump," said Sell said. Student after student reiterated that theme. "This whole election divided so many people. We should stay united," said Monserrat Diaz, an Aragon High School student. "We should all come together as one even though we have different beliefs and different backgrounds," said Aragon High School student Luiza Velloso. For the students, voicing their beliefs was democracy in action. Hundreds protesting controversial Dakota Access Pipeline in San Francisco abc7news.com
2016-11-16 02:00 (Copyright abc7news.com
51 /100 0.0 Michigan remains No. 3 in CFP, Ohio State moves to No. 2 (0.04/9) Last weekend was quite a crazy one in college football, with three of the five remaining unbeaten teams all going down in defeat.
The release of the third week of College Football Playoff rankings?
Well, not nearly as wild.
Unbeaten Alabama remained No. 1, followed by one-loss Ohio State at 2, Michigan at 3 and Clemson at 4.
Michigan remained third for a third straight week, despite suffering a 14-13 loss at Iowa on Saturday night.
Clemson, following a one-point loss of its own — 43-42 to Pitt, but at home — dropped from No. 2, making way for Ohio State.
The ranking, unveiled Tuesday night on ESPN, weren't that surprising, given Clemson, Michigan and Washington picked the same weekend to suffer their first losses of the season.
The 12-person selection committee confirmed what had been obvious: Michigan still controls its own destiny to make the four-team playoff, though it'll almost certainly need to beat Ohio State in the regular-season finale, and then win the Big Ten championship game.
"Nothing happens until after the Ohio State game," said Chris Wormley, a Michigan captain. "We’re just focused on Indiana and playing our best then. "
The Wolverines can take nothing for granted, given the lackluster showing at Iowa — plus the unknown surrounding the quarterback position. Starter Wilton Speight suffered a shoulder injury against Iowa, and his status for Saturday is uncertain. John O'Korn could be the starter.
Alabama, Michigan and Clemson have been in the top four all three weeks of the rankings. The final spot started with Texas A&M, then went to Washington, and now belongs to Ohio State.
Just on the outside of the semifinal picture are one-loss Louisville, at No. 5, and one-loss Washington, at No. 6.
The Big Ten has other outliers at Nos. 7 and 8, with two-loss Wisconsin and Penn State. It'd be a stretch to see either one crack the final four in the final rankings, to be released in early December.
Down the rankings, there was one piece of significant movement, at least as far as the state of Michigan is concerned.
Western Michigan is the only other remaining unbeaten team, at 10-0, and never had much of a shot to creep into even the fringes of the playoff picture, because of its strength of schedule.
But it was in line for a New Year's Six bowl game, likely the Cotton Bowl, as the highest-ranked mid-major — until Tuesday night. One-loss Boise State was one spot back of Western Michigan in the first two rankings, but not in the third, as it jumped to No. 20, with the other Broncos, of WMU, at No 21.
That's a bit of a downer for a Western Michigan team that has had an exciting week to this point, with ESPN's cameras following the coaches' and players' every move leading up to "College GameDay" coming to Kalamazoo on Saturday.
1. Alabama (10-0), 1
2. Ohio State (9-1), 5
3. Michigan, (9-1), 3
4. Clemson, (9-1), 2
5. Louisville (9-1), 6
6. Washington (9-1), 4
7. Wisconsin (8-2), 7
8. Penn State (8-2), 10
9. Oklahoma (8-2), 11
10. Colorado (8-2), 15
11. Oklahoma State (8-2), 13
12. Utah (8-2), 15
13. USC (7-3), 20
14. West Virgina (8-1), 16
15. Auburn (7-3), 9
16. LSU (6-3), 24
17. Florida State (7-3), 18
18. Nebraska (8-2), 19 19. Tennessee (7-3), NR
20. Boise State (9-2), 22
21. Western Michigan (10-0), 21
22. Washington State (8-2), 23
23. Florida (7-2), NR
24. Stanford (7-3), NR
25. Texas A&M (7-3), 8
Kentucky 69, Michigan State 48 rssfeeds.detroitnews.com
2016-11-16 00:02 Tony Paul rssfeeds.detroitnews.com
52 /100 (0.02/9) 0.0 Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Nov 16 PRAGUE, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial markets on Wednesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 1 hours) ======ECONOMIC DATA======Real-time economic data releases...... Summary of economic data and forecasts...... Recently released economic data...... Previous stories on Czech data...... **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/2E/events-overview ======NEWS======ECONOMY: Czech growth slowed in the third quarter as industrial output dragged, potentially making it harder for the central bank to exit its weak crown policy as soon as it hopes, in mid- 2017. Story: Related stories: DEFAMATION: A group of Czech lawmakers, including some from the ruling coalition, have proposed making defamation of the president a criminal offence, a sensitive move in a country where such a law was used to lock up dissidents during the communist era. Story: Related stories: CEE MARKETS: Central European government bonds gained on Tuesday after weeks of decline, as euro zone and U. S. debt prices also rebounded. Story: Related stories: ------MARKET SNAPSHOT ------Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change close on day in 2016 vs Euro 27.008 27.027 0.07 - 0.04 vs Dollar 25.189 25.165 -0.1 -1.32 Czech Equities 904.68 904.68 -0.05 -5.4 U. S. Equities 18,923.06 18,868.69 0.29 8.6 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600 GMT ======PRESS DIGEST======MORTGAGES: The average mortgage rate decreased to 1.80 percent in October from 1.82 percent in the previous months, data from Hypoindex showed. The overall volume of mortgages also dropped. Hospodarske Noviny, page 1 (Reuters has not verified the stories, nor does it vouch for their accuracy.) For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX For updates on CEE currencies TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets Prague Newsroom: +420 224 190 477 E-mail: [email protected] (Reporting by Prague Newsroom)
Poland - Factors to Watch Romania - Factors to watch Nov 16 on Nov. 16 dailymail.co.uk dailymail.co.uk
2016-11-16 03:34 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk
53 /100 0.0 Malaysia demands foreign banks commit to stop offshore ringgit trading - sources (0.01/9) By Saikat Chatterjee and Jongwoo Cheon HONG KONG/SINGAPORE, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Malaysia's central bank is asking foreign banks to make a written commitment to refrain from trading the ringgit in the offshore non-deliverable forwards market in its latest move to protect a weakening currency, banking sources said. The central bank has sent a form letter to foreign banks, which asks for an "unconditional representation and commitment" to stop trading in any offshore Malaysian ringgit non- deliverable forwards or offshore derivatives. Two separate sources at banks confirmed receipt of the letter. The letter also asks financial institutions to provide a detailed plan to the central bank of its needs to make ringgit transactions onshore and to seek help from Malaysian financial institutions for any foreign exchange transaction needs. The letter is a marked change from Saturday's central bank notification, in which foreign funds and asset managers were asked to contact Malaysian licensed banks to execute any foreign exchange transactions. It suggests authorities are tightening controls on the ringgit. "It's not surprising, given how much MYR (ringgit) has lost. It sounds like a desperate intervention," said Nordea Markets' chief analyst Amy Yuan Zhuang in Singapore. Malaysia's ringgit touched a 10-month low to $4.3470 to the dollar at around 0630 GMT. Bank Negara's comparatively small foreign reserves compared to other Asian countries, has left the central bank with fewer options, she said. "It needs such measures more than other Asian central banks. " At 40 percent of the total outstanding bond market, Malaysia's foreign holdings are one of the largest in Asia. Investors typically use the liquid NDF markets in Singapore and Hong Kong to hedge their exposure because of the many restrictions in the domestic market. (Editing by Bill Tarrant.)
Malaysia ask foreign banks to refrain from trading NDFs - sources dailymail.co.uk 2016-11-16 02:53 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk
54 /100 0.0 Stairway to heaven: Iranian artist’s wall mural turns heads (0.01/9) BOSTON >> A giant mural by an Iranian artist making his U. S. debut is turning heads in one of Boston’s busiest areas. The artwork by Mehdi Ghadyanloo titled “Spaces of Hope” is a stunning expression of optimism he hopes can lead to better understanding between the peoples of the two nations. The mural across the street from South Station depicts a line of about 200 people, many holding red helium balloons, ascending a spiral staircase to an opening in the roof where a single giant balloon slips into the blue sky. He says his mural is all about inspiration and hope, and wants it to serve as a bridge between cultures. The mural was commissioned by the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, which oversees the land. ...
Stairway to heaven: Iranian artist's wall mural turns heads article.wn.com
2016-11-16 02:37 system article.wn.com
55 /100 0.0 Devin Brugman and Natasha Oakley flaunt natural curves in bikinis in Bondi Beach snaps (0.01/9) There's nothing Devin Brugman and Natasha Oakley like more than a bikini shoot, as their social media accounts are littered with them. And once again the dynamic duo were spotted flaunting their beach bodies in skimpy swimsuits on Bondi Beach, on Wednesday. Holding hands, Devin and Natasha showed off their natural curves as they smiled bright in candid snaps taken on the sand - which have not yet been posted to Instagram. Scroll down for video Natasha wore a colourful triangle bikini with a matching sarong while Devin opted for a simple cream design. She arrived onto the beach in a black sarong and sunglasses, which she quickly ditched to dive into the water. Natasha arrived with a wide brim straw hat and coconut water, which she too put aside so she could show off her bikini with a few textbook angles. The bloggers have mastered the art of Instagram and getting the perfect angles to showcase their swimwear and figures. On Monday, Tash did upload a new bikini snap to acknowledge her new campaign partnership with Seafolly Australia. 'So excited to announce that my reason for being home in Sydney is because of my collaboration with @seafollyaustralia to celebrate the beginning of the Australian summer,' she captioned the picture. 'I will be hosting two really exciting events within Australia that I can't wait to share with you! Stay tuned!' Devin and Tash recently flew into Sydney from their LA homes to take part in a special pop-up event for their website A Bikini A Day. Tash and Devin rose to fame through their blog filled with bikini-clad snaps and recently launched an activewear line following on from the success of their swimwear line. Their first swimwear collection sold out over a couple of months and they now share a combined following of 3 million followers, and rising, on Instagram alone. Speaking of how she keeps in shape, Tash told Women's Health devices often worn by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, are 'extremely unhealthy'. 'I would never in a million years endorse something like waist-trainers,' she said emphatically.
Devin Brugman flaunts her voluptuous assets in flimsy string bikini on Bondi Beach dailymail.co.uk
2016-11-16 00:28 Hanna Flint www.dailymail.co.uk
56 /100 0.0 The Latest: Turkish-backed fighters close to taking al- Bab The Latest on the conflict in Syria (all times local):
11:40 a.m.
Turkey's president says Turkish- backed Syrian opposition forces are facing resistance from Islamic State fighters but are close to taking the Syrian town of al-Bab from the extremists.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan also told reporters Wednesday that U. S.- backed Syrian Kurdish fighters — which Turkey views as terrorists because of their affiliation to Kurdish rebels in Turkey — would soon leave the town of Manbij, in keeping with a U. S. promise to Turkey.
Erdogan said the opposition fighters were some 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from al-Bab.
"The siege is going according to plan," Erdogan said. "There is a resistance there at the moment but I don't think it will last long. "
Ankara sent ground forces into northern Syria in August, vowing to clear the border area of both IS and Syrian Kurdish militias.
---
11:15 a.m.
Syrian President Bashar Assad says U. S. President-elect Donald Trump could be a "natural ally" to the Damascus government in its grinding civil war.
In an interview published Tuesday with the Portuguese state TV channel, Assad said his government would need to see if the incoming administration is "genuine" about fighting "terrorists" in Syria.
International observers say Syrian and allied Russian forces regularly strike hospitals, schools, and other civilian infrastructure in opposition-held areas, against international law. Assad maintains he is fighting terrorism.
In the run-up to last week's presidential election, Trump said he was ready to work with Assad to fight against the Islamic State group in Syria.
More than 300,000 people have been killed in the 5-1/2 year-long Syrian civil war.
2016-11-16 05:43 The Associated www.charlotteobserver.com
57 /100 0.0 Tony Abbott says 'moral panic' about climate change is 'over the top' Tony Abbott says the “moral panic” about climate change has been completely over the top and that he never thought it was the most serious issue faced by Australia.
He said the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States was encouraging because the Republican – who has said that he believes global warming is a scam – would put climate change in better perspective. In a wide-ranging interview with conservative host Andrew Bolt on Sky News on Wednesday, Abbott spoke at length on section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, Trump’s election, his own treatment by the media when prime minister, and Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership.
He said Turnbull was finally growing into the role of prime minister, and Turnbull’s complaint about the “elite” media this week was a sign of that.
“He appreciates that it’s one thing to appeal to a certain constituency when you are the would- be, but when you are the Man your constituency is first and foremost the party room, and secondly the people who are going to vote for the Coalition, or who you want to vote for the Coalition at the next election,” Abbott said.
When asked why Turnbull had ratified that Paris Agreement on climate change when he knew that Trump wants to pull out of the agreement, Abbott said it was a sensible thing to do.
He said his own government had been prepared to commit to a 26%-28% reduction in emissions because he believed Australia could achieve that without hurting the economy.
He also said Turnbull’s position on renewable energy was much better than Labor’s.
“Sometimes politics is the lesser evils,” he said. “There are many circumstances in which you have to choose the least bad option.”
When asked if he agreed with Trump’s assertion that global warming was a scam, Abbott said he never thought that was the most serious moral, political and economic issue that we face.
“Yes it is an issue, but the moral panic about this has been completely over the top,” he said.
“One of the encouraging things about the election of Trump is that we should finally be able to see this issue in better perspective.
“It is significant, we should take reasonable steps to limit our emissions, but the last thing we should do is impose socialism in the name of misguided environmentalism, and that has been the risk for a very long time.”
2016-11-16 05:40 Gareth Hutchens www.theguardian.com
58 /100 0.0 One killed in clashes between Palestinian forces, gunmen in Nablus casbah A Palestinian citizen was killed on Wednesday morning in Nablus’s casbah amid armed clashes between Palestinian Authority security forces and gunmen. The official PA news site Wafa reported that Hilda Usta, 39, was killed and three PA security forces were wounded, including one in critical condition.
Be the first to know - Join our Facebook page.
The exact details of the clashes and how Usta was killed remain unclear. However, Nablus Governor Akram Rajoub said “criminals opened fire on positions of the security forces in the casbah and the governor’s office.” Rjoub added that the clashes broke out shortly after the IDF raided Nablus and vowed that “an investigative committee into the incident will be formed.” Nablus has witnessed continued violence over the past five months. In late June, clashes between gunmen and PA security forces broke out, resulting in the death of two officers. In August, another round of clashes between the gunmen and PA forces, led to the death of two more officers. After the clashes in August, the PA launched a campaign to arrest wanted suspects in the casbah. At the time, Adnan al-Damiri, the PA security forces' spokesman said the officers “will not leave the area [the Casbah] until they [the wanted suspects] are brought to justice.” In the following weeks, the PA security forces arrested multiple suspects including many members of the Halawa family. One member of the Halawa family, who the PA security forces suspected killed the two officers in August, was arrested and later beaten to death in a PA prison.
The last two months have been relatively quiet in the casbah with security forces amassed in the narrow pathways of Nablus's old city. Some analysts attribute the violence to internal Fatah conflicts, whereas others have suggested they are merely criminally motivated acts.
Relevant to your professional network? Please share on Linkedin
Think others should know about this? Please share
| |
2016-11-16 05:36 ADAM RASGON www.jpost.com
59 /100 0.0 UK does not yet have 'central plan' for Brexit, says former Foreign Office chief - Politics live Unemployment has fallen to a 10-year low, the Press Association reports.
Here is the Office for National Statistics bulletin with the full details.
The Brexit committee has started. Sir Simon Fraser, the former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office (or permanent under- secretary, to give him is former title, although most people leave the “under” out) is giving evidence, alongside Dr Hannah White from the Institute for Government and Prof Catherine Barnard from Cambridge University.
Fraser, who left the Foreign Office last summer, told the MPs that he did not think the government yet had a “central plan” for Brexit.
During the EU referendum campaign Michael Gove, the leading Vote Leave campaigner, scored a good hit during a Sky News “debate” when he said that the EU was led by five presidents and that hardly anyone knew who they all are. He had a point. Most politically-aware people know that Jean-Claude Juncker is president of the European commission, and Donald Tusk is president of the European council, but the presidents of the European parliament (Martin Shulz) and the European Central Bank (Mario Draghi) are harder to name. And the one that flummoxed even the editor of the FT is the president of the Eurogroup, Jeroen Dijsselbloem.
Britons may not know much about Dijsselbloem, but he knows quite a lot about us and he was on Newsnight last night criticising the government’s stance on Brexit. In particular, he attacked Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, saying he was offering a vision of life outside the European Union that is “intellectually impossible” and “politically unavailable”.
Referring to Johnson’s claim that the UK will be able to have a “dynamic trade relationship” with the EU while “probably” leaving the customs union, Dijsselbloem said:
Dijsselbloem who is Dutch finance minister as well as president of the eurozone’s Eurogroup, warned that whatever the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, the economies of the UK and the EU would both suffer.
There is no win-win situation. It is going to be a lose-lose situation.
But there is good news for the Brexiteers too. As the Telegraph reports in its splash, Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, hinted yesterday that she might consider changes to the way freedom of movement rules work.
We may hear more on this because the Commons Brexit committee is having its first hearing today.
Here is the agenda for the day.
9am: Damian Green, the work and pensions secretary, gives a speech to the Reform thinktank on welfare refrom.
9.15am: The Commons Brexit committee holds its first public hearing. It is taking evidence from Sir Simon Fraser, the former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office.
9.30am: Unemployment figures are published.
10.30am: The Social Mobility Commission publishes its annual report. Alan Milburn, its chairman, is holding a press conference.
12pm: Theresa May faces Jeremy Corbyn at PMQs.
1pm: Prof John Curtice publishes new research on what the public wants from Brexit.
As usual, I will be covering the breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I will post a summary at after PMQs and another in the afternoon.
If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow.
I try to monitor the comments BTL but normally I find it impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer direct questions, although sometimes I miss them or don’t have time. Alternatively you could post a question to me on Twitter.
2016-11-16 05:36 Andrew Sparrow www.theguardian.com
60 /100 0.0 The nation’s weather Weather Underground Forecast for Wednesday, November 16, 2016
An active weather pattern can be expected across the Northwest on Wednesday, while rain winds down over the Northeast.
A low pressure system will trek east northeastward from the upper Intermountain West to south central Canada. This system will usher a mixture of rain and snow over the northern edge of the northern Plains, as well as the northwest corner of the upper Midwest. A cold frontal boundary associated with this system will extend southwestward the northern high Plains to the Southwest. As this frontal boundary transitions eastward, it will produce rain and mountain snow in the northern and central Rockies, the Wasatch, the Great Basin, the interior Pacific Northwest and northern California. A trough of low pressure over the Northwest will reinforce an onshore flow, keeping wet weather in the forecast for western Washington, western Oregon and northwest California. Isolated embedded thunderstorms will also be possible from northwest California to western Washington on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a coastal low pressure system will trek north northeastward across New England. This system will usher moderate to locally heavy rain across a large part of New England. Rain is expected to wind down by Wednesday evening. A frontal system to the west will extend over the Great Lakes and the Midwest. Light showers will develop along and ahead of this frontal boundary over the interior portion of the northern Mid-Atlantic.
A ridge of high pressure will build over the Plains and the Mississippi Valley. Conditions will be fairly dry from the central and southern high Plains to the Southeast. Temperatures will be anywhere from 15 to 25 degrees above normal across the upper Midwest.
.
Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Tuesday have ranged from a morning low of 16 degrees at Alamosa, Colo. to a high of 86 degrees at Corpus Christi, Texas comments The renovation of the U. S. Capitol dome is finally done. See what has been done and the people who worked on it for almost three years.
2016-11-16 05:31 The Associated wtop.com
61 /100 0.0 US elections a wake up call for ANC What happened in the US elections should be a wakeup call for the ANC.
If the ANC continues to appear as disregarding the wishes of the people, and undermining the power of one single god, what happened to the Democrats in the US election in 2016 may happen to ANC in 2019.
There is a prophetic number, (2019 is three years from 2016) let this be a prophetic incitement to you, my beloved ANC: give heed unto the voices and cries of the people; less though has forgotten that, AMANDLA AWETHU! Which means, "power (belongs)to the people".
Remember, a wasted or absent vote is a vote to the opposition. Do not make the mistake you made in 2016 LGE in 2019, by undermining the impact of abstaining voters. I would hate to feel the way I do now about the final result of the US elections, in 2019 should the same tragedy befall the ANC.
Sela Shalom
2016-11-16 05:29 www.news24.com
62 /100 0.0 UN committee flags Iran over human rights UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A U. N. committee on Tuesday urged Iran to cease enforced disappearances and the widespread use of arbitrary detention and has expressed serious concern about severe limitations on freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief.
The General Assembly’s human rights committee approved the measure by a vote of 85 in favor, 35 against and 63 countries abstaining. The assembly is virtually certain to adopt the resolution when it’s put to a vote next month.
The measure welcomed pledges by Iran’s president to eliminate discrimination against women and ethnic minorities as well as granting greater space for freedom of expression.
But it also expressed concern over the “alarmingly high frequency” of the death penalty and urged Iran to eliminate laws and practices that constitute human rights violations against women and girls.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry swiftly rejected the vote. The official IRNA news agency quoted ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi as saying the vote was “unacceptable” and motivated by “special political purposes.” comments The renovation of the U. S. Capitol dome is finally done. See what has been done and the people who worked on it for almost three years.
2016-11-16 05:29 The Associated wtop.com
63 /100 0.0 Prosecutors summing up case in Wilders hate speech trial Dutch prosecutors have begun summing up their case against populist anti- Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders in his hate-speech trial that pits freedom of expression against the Netherlands' anti- discrimination laws.
Prosecutor Wouter Bos stressed Wednesday that the decision to put the popular but controversial Wilders on trial for anti-Moroccan statements in 2014 was driven by the law and not personal opinions.
Bos says the decision "is based on a thorough analysis of the law, the specific circumstances of this case and the use of all the expertise of the prosecutor's office. Nothing more, nothing less. "
Wilders, whose Freedom Party is riding high in opinion polls ahead of parliamentary elections in March, is refusing to attend the trial, labelling it a political witch hunt.
2016-11-16 05:28 The Associated www.charlotteobserver.com
64 /100 0.0 Britain STILL handing out millions of pounds to new superpowers India and China Britain is still pouring millions of pounds of aid into India and super-rich China despite a pledge to stop rolling out cash to economic powers, a report found. The Government has maintained its controversial pledge to spend 0.7per cent of national income on foreign aid – a figure which means the UK will continue to lavish £12billion on aid every year. Following widespread concern that money was being frittered away, the new International Development Secretary Priti Patel promised an overhaul to make the system 'deliver for our national interests'. While many schemes offering direct aid to wealthier nations have been cut, a major new report has concluded 'significant' cashflows have continued through 'other channels'. A watchdog, the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI), accused the Government of actually 'scaling up' assistance it was offering foreign powers, while 'creating an impression all aid was being phased out'. In India – a country rich enough to have its own space programme – the Department for International Development (DFID) terminated 'financial aid', the review said. But it continued with technical assistance to help India spend its money, and aid-funded loans and equity investments, according to the body which scrutinises taxpayer-funded UK aid. Current aid spending includes: The ICAI graded DFID's performance on exiting and transitioning from countries as 'Amber-Red' – requiring significant improvement. The report added: 'In all of the cases we examined, even where DFID's in-country programmes were brought to an end, significant aid flows have continued through other channels. 'In China, DFID terminated all assistance on domestic development issues, but continues to spend £8-10 million per year from centrally managed programmes on helping China to become a more effective donor and investor in developing countries.' The report added there was 'substantial UK aid flowing to India through other channels'. China has poured billions into its space programme. The landing of its Jade Rabbit lunar rover on Saturday was watched on state TV by 1.4billion Chinese. Francesca Del Mese, the ICAI commissioner who led the review, said: 'DFID must strengthen how it plans for change in its aid relationships with countries, and ensure it communicates to UK taxpayers clearly to avoid the risk of confusion.' She added: 'Managing the transition from traditional aid to new kinds of development partnerships is increasingly important for DFID in the current aid landscape. 'This review stresses the importance of clear objectives, effective planning and strong communication. 'Without a robust process, there is the risk of misunderstanding and miscommunication about what remains as part of the UK's aid relationship, both in the countries themselves, and with the UK public.' A DFID spokesman said: 'We are disappointed that ICAI has rushed the publication of this inaccurate report that simply does not tell the whole story. 'As countries build upon their economic development Britain is determined to strengthen strategic partnerships that facilitate trade, boost business and combat poverty. 'DFID's work supports these partnerships in a manner that provides value for money, always helps the world's poorest and is open and transparent to the British public.'
2016-11-16 05:27 Larisa Brown www.dailymail.co.uk
65 /100 0.0 China's most-wanted corruption suspect surrenders after 13 years abroad BEIJING, Nov 16 (Reuters) - China's top most-wanted corruption suspect returned to China from the United States on Wednesday and turned herself in, the ruling Communist Party's graft watchdog said, as the country pursues an overseas search for corrupt officials. Yang Xiuzhu, a former deputy director of Wenzhou's construction bureau in the booming eastern province of Zhejiang, surrendered to Chinese authorities after spending 13 years in hiding overseas, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement on its website. In April last year, China published a list of 100 of its most wanted corruption suspects who had been targeted with an Interpol red notice, many living in the United States, Canada and Australia. Yang was ranked number one on the list and is the 37th fugitive to return so far, the commission said. It did not provide an explanation for why she had turned herself in, but her brother, regional official Yang Jinjun, also wanted for corruption, was sent back to China in September 2015, the first time Beijing succeeded in bringing back a suspect from the United States. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said her return was an important result for Sino-U. S. anti-corruption cooperation and expressed thanks. The international community was increasingly on the same page when it came to having zero tolerance towards corruption, Geng told a daily news briefing. Yang fled China in April 2003 after authorities began investigating her alleged involvement in criminal activities, it added, and sought political asylum in France, the Netherlands and the United States. Chinese state television showed live footage of a bespectacled Yang, dressed in a grey padded jacket and dark trousers, being led off an American Airlines plane and going through immigration, escorted by two guards. China has pursued an overseas search dubbed Operation Fox Hunt for corrupt officials and business executives who have fled abroad with their assets, part of President Xi Jinping's war on deep-seated corruption. It has been pushing for extradition treaties but Western countries have been reluctant to help, not wanting to send people back to a country where rights groups say mistreatment of suspects is a concern. A U. S. State Department spokeswoman said last month the United States was not negotiating an extradition treaty with China but fugitives could be returned to other countries without one "within the bounds and protections afforded by our Constitution and laws". Yang, accused of stealing $39 million while deputy mayor of Wenzhou, told Reuters last year she was innocent and called the most-wanted list a political document targeting enemies of the current regime rather than a roster of criminals. (Reporting by Sue-Lin Wong and Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick Macfie)
2016-11-16 05:10 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk
66 /100 0.0 Commuter Dude: Flat tires lead to drain repair ATLANTA – It took several tries, but the Georgia Department of Transportation may have finally neutralized a tire busting storm drain.
At the Home Grown Georgia restaurant, Jeremy Ray has seen joy turn to despair when drain meets tire at the corner of Memorial Drive and Gibson Street. “We see it two or three times a month,” says Ray. “Too often. It happened to Sarah Heurich. While making the turn from Gibson Street to Memorial Drive in her back, right tire clipped the notorious storm drain.
“There's no way to make a tight turn and not hit it,” says Heurich. “When I saw the flat tire, I knew that's where it came from.” It's happened to several of her neighbors.
When traffic is heavy, drivers have to make a tight right from Gibson to fit into the far right lane of Memorial. Google maps shows damage to the drain back in 2015. More than once. GDOT crews have made repairs. More than once, drivers have limped away with flats. “We thought we had a good solution,” says GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale. “We've moved from one problem to another.” Crews placed a metal lip around the drain to prevent broken concrete, but it created a new threat for tires. “We're looking at if we can drain to a different section of the structure and make it more friendly for cars,” says Dale.
That's what happened. A couple of weeks after 11Alive contacted GDOT, crews sealed off one section of the drain, and used concrete to create a gentle buffer.
It’s something much less likely to flatten Sarah Heurich’s day.
2016-11-16 05:07 Jerry Carnes rssfeeds.11alive.com
67 /100 0.0 How to ditch the tourist traps and explore LA like a local A-Lister Los Angeles, home of Universal studios, the Hollywood walk of fame... about as touristy a place as you can get. But for the famed inhabitants who make it such a lurid attraction, it’s just home, and when I spent the best part of a year travelling back and forth from there for work, I wanted to dive behind the scenes and join them. From the closely guarded rooftop hotspots and tucked away beauty gurus, to the boutique beach hotels and the legendary Chateau Marmont - I sampled more than 30 establishments in my quest to ditch the tourist status and borrow the life of a well- heeled local. HOTELS Obviously, locals don’t often need to stay in hotels, but they do spend a lot of time swanning around their bars. And as a guest of LA, you'll need a place to lay your head. The choice is exhaustive, but only a handful consistently live up to the hype. Petit Ermitage Who goes? Demi Moore, Emily Blunt, Victoria Beckham. Why? Of all the hotels I investigated, this had to be my favourite. But then I'm more a fan of colourful mismatched furniture, sumptuous dark corridors and candlelit gardens than I am of bright, airy, minimalist spaces. So if you're that way inclined, you won't be disappointed. This is a well-guarded haven which, unlike others, you can't just wander into unless you're a guest, or on the list. But once you make it inside, there's nowhere else quite like it. How much: From $325 a night. Who goes? This place is so secretive, it's genuinely hard to tell. Why? So called because it once belonged to Charlie Chaplin, this hideaway is certainly different, but also truly magical. Located on a leafy residential backstreet, it comprises of 13 cottage residences, all of them named after guests who have stayed there - from Charlie himself to 'Marlene', 'Marilyn' and 'Valentino'. It's self-catering, so there's no restaurant and no room service. But every abode has a bedroom, living room, kitchen, washer and dryer, towel-stocked bathroom and complimentary bathroom products. The best part? Somehow, this is still one of LA's best-kept secrets. How much: From $250 a night. The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills Who goes? Eva Mendes, Reece Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner. Why? It's won several awards for excellence and for good reason. Refined in style, with vast en-suite bedrooms and great panoramic views of the city, it makes a highly sophisticated home away from home, especially if you happen to be British. How much : From $299 a night. The Hollywood Roosevelt Who goes? Back in the day, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and Prince; and before their split, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Why? One of the oldest and most iconic hotels in Hollywood - also a member of the prestigious Preferred Hotels & Resorts group - this joint has seen its fair share of history, with former guests including Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin and Ernest Hemingway, among countless others. The pool is on the ground floor and always scattered with locals who drop in by day and night. Don't come for the food at Tropicana - which wasn't great, but do come for the service. Of all the hotels I ticked off, the staff here were the warmest. How much : From $319 a night. The Beverly Hills Hotel Who goes? Taylor Swift, Calvin Klein, Kevin Spacey. Why? In all of Los Angeles, this palatial pink domain is quite probably the most opulent place you can stay. Frozen somewhere in the 80s in terms of its decor, it’s the height of upscale comfort. My room featured USB ports everywhere, with lightswitch options for 'relax' and 'sleep' at the touch of a button, and chocolates with my name embossed onto them. But its most famous draw is the iconic - and very pricey - Polo Lounge, which has attracted big names since the 40s, and served as the setting for scenes in cult films including Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. How much: from $565 a night. Shutters on the Beach Who goes? Eva Longoria, Julia Roberts, Fearne Cotton. Why? Located on the shores of Santa Monica and close to Venice Beach, this place feels like it’s worlds away from the centre of LA. Actually it’s just a half an hour's drive, without too much traffic. Don’t go here for the service or the food (both deeply average) but do go for its quiet charm and ludicrously comfortable beds. Just be careful not to relax too much. My companion was refused a glass of water on the outside beach decking area because he didn't have his shoes on. How much: From $520 a night. The Mondrian Who goes? Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicole Kidman, Paris Hilton. Why? The absolutely vast rooms, wacky decor, Hollywood Hills views, and its legendary rooftop SkyBar - which is crawling with beautiful creatures from around the world. Its restaurant, Ivory on Sunset, also serves up impeccable but entirely unpretentious food. And my in-room extras included a colouring book and some popcorn - weird but satisfyingly different. How much: From $300 a night. SIXTY Beverly Hills RESTAURANTS Where you choose to dine in LA has as much to do with where is trending as it does with the actual food - but then, there's great cuisine to be had on every high-end corner. Here are the hottest new ones, and the best-established old-timers. The District by Hannah Ha Where? 8722 W 3rd St, Beverly Grove. Who goes? Keith Urban, Magic Johnson, Damon Wayans Jr. Why? The District's contemporary Asian cuisine features popular dishes from various Vietnamese districts, mixed in with wide-ranging global influences - all the work of famed chef Hannah Ha. Every ingredient here is supremely fresh. The restaurant, who boasts outdoor flame pits and lantern lighting, doesn't even use a freezer. Expect rich and spicy spring rolls, herby mint-infused dishes, and melt-in-your-mouth tofu cubes. Crossroads Where? 8284 Melrose Ave, Beverly Grove. Who goes? Katy Perry, Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, Beyonce, Ellen DeGeneres. Why? I dined here with model Sophie Simmons, who told me she once brought her KISS legend father Gene Simmons along for a meal. Apparently, he unwittingly declared it to be the purveyor of 'the best chicken sandwich ever'. Only it wasn't real chicken. Because this is a vegan restaurant. And as a non- meat eater myself, I have to agree with him. The food here is astoundingly creative - no wonder it's one of the world's most famous eateries for animal-lovers. Fig & Olive Where? 8490 Melrose Place, West Hollywood. Who goes? Johnny Depp, Elizabeth Banks, Paul McCartney, Halle Berry and Ryan Gosling. Why? Small plates and tapas are undeniably popular in Hollywood, and nowhere does it better than the Fig + Olive. As the name suggests, it carries a fine selection of infused olive oils and plump figs alongside hearty Italian food and a lengthy wine list. YSABEL Where? 945 N Fairfax Ave, West Hollywood. Who goes? Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Rhianna. Why? It combines an upscale decor and stellar food with a refreshingly laid-back atmosphere, and is almost ways populated with A-Listers. It's advisable to book ahead, and gets pretty lively over the weekends. Little Door Where? 8164 W 3rd St, Beverly Grove. Who goes? Robert Pattinson, Jennifer Aniston. Why? Looking for a first date spot? This one will earn you serious points. Deliriously romantic, this Mediterranean eaterie boasts reliably great food enjoyed in your choice of a piano room, winter garden or patio. DRINK Chateau Marmont Where? 8221 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood Hills West. Who goes? Literally anyone who is someone. Why? Unless you're someone, it's pretty hard to get in but once you're there, it's intensely safe and private - cameras, for example, are banned. Stepping inside Chateau Marmont is like peeking behind a dusty crimson curtain. Its gilded walls seep secrets. The gatekeeper is Anya, their strict regal English host who decides who can enter and who can’t, seemingly based on whether she knows and likes them, or just likes the look of them. She drips with elegant jewels, sprinkles charisma around her like glitter, speaks with a rolling mellifluous purr, and possesses that rare quality of being both over-flowingly warm and also formidably intimidating - depending on who she's talking to. The Nice Guy Where? 401 N La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Grove. Who goes? Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Behati Prinsloo, Lily Aldridge. Why? A current favourite of the Kylie Jenner/Gigi Hadid clan, it's little more than a year old but The Nice Guy is never devoid of famous faces. It's spacious, rustic, flatteringly lit, with warm lamps and wooden ceilings, and often plays host to live music and DJ sets. The low-key Italian food, while nothing fancy, is still a crowd pleaser, and the whiskey selection is, as the cool kids say, decidedly on-point. Who goes? Matt Damon, Al Pacino, Justin Beiber. Why? The EP division is the impressive Asian- fusion restaurant on the second floor and the LP section is found on the roof; which boasts a lively bar, brilliant views and plenty of potted plants. While it's been a popular haunt among the rich and famous for around a year now, the service - on the roof at least - could be a great deal better. No Name Where? 432 N Fairfax Ave, Fairfax. Who goes? Artists and musicians who would prefer to remain anonymous. Why? There's a reason this place is called No Name. It doesn't want you there - indeed, it's been hailed one of the hardest places to slip past the door. There's no list, per se, or lines hopefuls queuing outside. In fact, it's pretty easy to miss. The owner Bryan Ling manages the band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and music is very much the focus here. Inside, it hosts a bar and performance stage downstairs, while upstairs there are corridors flanked with psychedelic lights and morphing wallpaper. About as cool as it gets then. The dreamweaver Who? Nico Golfar. Why? With a roladex of more than 10,000 big names from across the entertainment industry, this professional dreamweaver can call in pretty much any favour and manifest just about any experience you could ask for. Mr Golfar - British- born, the brother of Vogue editor-at-large Fiona Golfar, but LA-based - has thrown parties for royals, business moguls and A-listers around the world, but Hollywood remains his prime stomping ground. RETAIL THERAPY Planet Blue Where? 409 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills. Who shops there? Cameron Diaz, Denise Richards, Kristen Cavallari, Miranda Kerr. Why? With eight stores in California, this bohemian haven is a boutique with a great mix of pricey designers and lesser-known, more affordable up-and-comers. Its airy, laid-back Beverly Hills showroom is a veritable enclave for local celebrities, who can often be spotted around town swinging their trademark green bags. Dogeared Where? 2909 Main Street, Santa Monica. Who wears it? Cara Delevingne, Mischa Barton, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Beckinsale. Why? This purveyor of dainty jewellery is regularly seen dripping from the wrists of superstars, and best of all, it's affordable. Handcrafted locally but available online worldwide, all its charming designs have meaning behind them, be it 'karma' or 'new beginnings'. What could be more LA? Brandy Melville Where? 1413 3rd St. Promenade, Santa Monica. Who wears it? Kylie Jenner, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift. Why? Gorgeously soft fabrics, comfortable cuts and bizarrely low prices make this label a treasure trove for stylish staples. While Brand Melville has stores all around America, it was born here and has always stayed true to is quintessential California aesthetic. Kit and Ace Where? 1130 Abbot Kinney, Venice. Who wears it? Ed Westwick, Lily Aldridge, Gwyneth Paltrow. Why? The brainchild of Lululemon founder Chip Wilson’s family, this mens and womenswear brand is catapulting to the forefront of casual luxe, with slouchy cashmere-infused basics in neutral colours that are so comfortable you'll never want to them off - trust me, I tried on everything. It's not cheap, but not ludicrously pricey either and best of all, you can chuck it all in the washer and dryer without shrinking it. Karen Kane Where? 8500 Beverly Boulevard, Beverly Hills. Who wears it? Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Biel, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Why? Karen Kane is the designer behind arguably the most universally flattering dress on earth 'the cascade', and the rest of her laid-back but sharply cut attire proves consistently good too. BEAUTY Meche Where? 8820 Burton Way, Beverly Hills. Who goes? Emma Stone, Charlize Theron, Cameron Diaz. Why? Run by celebrity-favourites Neil Weisberg and Tracey Cunningham, Meche - a bright, wood and glass enhanced salon in the heart of Beverly Hills - is known for its classic cuts and natural-looking highlights. I was treated to a Brazilian blowout there and the shine lasted longer than it ever has with past treatments, so if silky hair is what you're after, you've found it here. Ramirez Tran Where? 8912 W Olympic Blvd, Beverly Hills. Who goes? Jessica Alba, Miranda Kerr, Mia Wasikowska. Why? Johnny is the undisputed worldwide king of blonde highlights, and he sure does take his time getting it right. My low-maintenance sun-kissed highlights took a whopping seven hours from start to finish, and it's not unheard of for treatments to enter the ten- hour mark. His technique involves a pre-colour Olapex treatment to soften the blow of the bleach, which is then masterfully painted and dabbed onto minuscule sections of the hair for a truly natural look. Every stylist at this cosy salon is beautiful, aloof and highly skilled. To my delight, little dogs scampered around all day. And proper food is served there - quite right too, given how long you're sitting there. I left feeling extremely satisfied, but with the sad resolve that if only I could afford it, I'd never go anywhere else to bleach my locks. Andy Le Compte Where? 616 N Almont Dr, West Hollywood. Who goes? Nicole Richie, Madonna, Miley Cyrus. Why? I walked into this joint with some very ratty dark hair extensions and came out cured of all my follicular maladies - the proud owner of wavy, beachy ombre locks. My stylist was particularly chatty and very knowledgeable about LA, so I spent two hours interrogating him for tips on where and where not to go. Skin By Lovely Where? 2730 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 320 Santa Monica. Who goes? Stars (secretly), models and housewives - anyone who likes Botox, so a lot of people. Why? This clinic does some of the best Botox and fillers in the business, so its waiting room is seldom empty. Terrified, I did as the A-Listers do and signed myself up for a fix of both, administered by Nurse Marissa Abdo, who couldn't have handled my wimpish performance better. I insisted I wanted to emerge without the expression of a startled blow-up doll and she delivered. I had dinner with friends later that day and no-one guessed, but I was told over the next few months that I was looking 'healthier', so mission accomplished. Dr. Bill Dorfman Cosmetic Dentistry Where? 2080 Century Park E, #1601. Who goes? Jessica Simpson, Eva Longoria. Why? Dr Dorfman is Hollywood's number one guy for blindingly white, rail-straight teeth. I was treated to a whitening session using the ZOOM! technique, which if you have sensitive teeth like me, hurts like the fiery pits of hell. Fortunately - and you don't get this in the UK - Dr Dorfman was very generous with the aesthetic injections. The downside? I didn't regain the power of non-slurred speech for six hours. The upside? No pain, and shockingly white teeth. How much: $450-$650 for Zoom whitening. Beverly Hills Concierge Doctor Where? Headquarters at 9400 Brighton Way, Suite 303, Beverly Hills. Who goes? That would be telling. Why? Dr Ali is about as charming doctor as you'll find, his key selling point being that he makes house calls. As well as offering all the usual GP services, he also administers Botox and fillers in the privacy of your own domain - of very high quality I might add - and best of all, hangover- curing IV drips, which really work. I called upon him in a fairly sorry state after returning from Burning Man - a week-long festival in the Nevada desert - and he showed up at my hotel wheeling a stand, which I found to be highly comical, before plugging me into a bag of fluids and vitamins like a stethoscope-wearing angel. How much: $100 for the IV drip in-office and $500 for a house call. WORK OUT Runyon Canyon Where? Entrance at N Fuller Ave, Hollywood. Who goes? Orlando Bloom, Katy Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Hailey Baldwin, and every Victoria's Secret model that has ever been. Why? This 160-acre park, set across the mountains and overlooking the famed Hollywood sign, is a legendary hiking hiking ground which rewards climbers with unbeatable views from the top. I meandered up it slowly, because I am lazy, but there were plenty of baseball cap-sporting runners charging up around me. It's best to arrive here during cooler, quieter periods, specifically early in the morning and during the week. How much: Free! PERSONAL TRAINER Astrid Swan Where? 1106 N La Cienega Blvd #104, West Hollywood. Who goes? Julianne Hough, Jessica Alba. Why? Astrid is one of those rare blonde smiley LA gym bunnies who is not annoying. For a highly succesful model and trainer to the stars, she's about as likable and down-to-earth as they come. As an exercise-phobe myself, I was dreading my private session with her, but she certainly proved me wrong. Astrid walked me through a range of exercises I could be doing without dragging myself to the gym, and pointed out that even clenching my stomach muscles whenever I remembered to would be beneficial. Her serious clients, she says, sometimes insist on two two-hour sessions with her a day - ouch. And while a one-on-one training session with Astrid is unsurprisingly pricey, she also runs more affordable classes at West Hollywood's Barry's Bootcamp. How much: $28 for a Barry's Bootcamp class. FLY United Airlines Why? I had both my best and my worst flight to LA with United Airlines. The worst being the incident in which my flight was cancelled, although in fairness through no fault of the airline. The best being that as a result of this mishap, I was upgraded to Business Class as a gesture of apology. Obviously the flight was therefore heaven, but so was United's lounge at Heathrow - one of the best in the world. Here I feasted on delicious food, inhaled several glasses of champagne and admired the rather beautiful lamps and indoor trees as businessmen tapped away on their laptops around me. How much: From £621 return
2016-11-16 05:06 Annabel Fenwick www.dailymail.co.uk
68 /100 0.0 China bans 'fatty' Kim Jong Un nickname on websites Chinese websites are censoring "Kim Fatty the Third," a nickname widely used to disparage North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, after officials from his country reportedly conveyed their displeasure in a meeting with their Chinese counterparts.
Searches for the Chinese words "Jin San Pang" on the search engine Baidu and microblogging platform Weibo returned no results this week.
The nickname pokes fun at Kim's girth and his status as the third generation of the Kim family to rule the world's only hereditary communist dynasty. It's especially popular among young, irreverent Chinese who tend to look down on their country's would-be ally.
Relations between China and North Korea have been strained by the North's nuclear weapons program. 2016-11-16 05:03 The Associated www.charlotteobserver.com
69 /100 0.0 US forces may have committed war crimes THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — U. S. armed forces and the CIA may have committed war crimes by torturing detainees in Afghanistan, the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor said in a report Monday, raising the possibility that American citizens could be indicted even though Washington has not joined the global court.
“Members of US armed forces appear to have subjected at least 61 detained persons to torture, cruel treatment, outrages upon personal dignity on the territory of Afghanistan between 1 May 2003 and 31 December 2014,” according to the report issued by Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s office.
The report added that CIA operatives may have subjected at least 27 detainees in Afghanistan, Poland, Romania and Lithuania to “torture, cruel treatment, outrages upon personal dignity and/or rape” between December 2002 and March 2008.
Most of the alleged abuse happened in 2003-2004, the report said.
Prosecutors said they will decide “imminently” whether to seek authorization to open a full-scale investigation in Afghanistan that could lead to war crimes charges.
State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said the U. S. does not believe an ICC investigation is “warranted or appropriate.”
“The United States is deeply committed to complying with the law of war, and we have a robust national system of investigation and accountability that more than meets international standards,” Trudeau said.
A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, said officials were awaiting more details about the ICC findings before commenting.
Established in 2002, the International Criminal Court is the world’s first permanent court set up to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. More than 120 countries around the world are members, but superpowers including the United States, Russia and China have not signed up.
Former U. S. President Bill Clinton signed the Rome treaty that established the court on Dec. 31, 2000, but President George W. Bush renounced the signature, citing fears that Americans would be unfairly prosecuted for political reasons. Even though the United States is not a member of the court, Americans could still face prosecution at its headquarters in The Hague if they commit crimes within its jurisdiction in a country that is a member, such as Afghanistan, and are not prosecuted at home.
So far, all of the ICC’s trials have dealt with crimes committed in Africa.
Prosecutors say investigations also are reportedly under way in Poland, Romania and Lithuania — all signatories to the Rome Statute — into possible crimes at CIA detention facilities in those countries.
The abuse allegations came in a wide-ranging annual report into the prosecution office’s so- called preliminary examinations, which involve studying reports of possible crimes to establish if they fall under the court’s jurisdiction.
The same report said that Taliban and Afghan government forces also may have used torture and committed other atrocities in that country’s long and bitter conflict. The report says that the Taliban and its affiliates killed thousands of people and are suspected of committing war crimes including murder, recruiting and conscripting child soldiers and attacking civilians and humanitarian workers.
Referring to the alleged U. S. war crimes, the report said they “were not the abuses of a few isolated individuals. Rather, they appear to have been committed as part of approved interrogation techniques in an attempt to extract ‘actionable intelligence’ from detainees.”
The report adds that, “The information available suggests that victims were deliberately subjected to physical and psychological violence, and that crimes were allegedly committed with particular cruelty and in a manner that debased the basic human dignity of the victims.”
Before deciding to open a full-scale investigation, ICC prosecutors have to establish whether they have jurisdiction and whether the alleged crimes are being investigated and prosecuted in the countries involved. The ICC is a court of last resort that takes on cases only when other countries are unable or unwilling to prosecute.
The report noted that U. S. authorities have conducted dozens of investigations and court- martial cases and says ICC prosecutors are seeking further clarifications on their scope before deciding whether any American cases would be admissible at the ICC.
After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the administration of President George W. Bush allowed the use of waterboarding, which simulates drowning, and other so-called enhanced interrogation techniques against suspected terrorists. President Barack Obama banned such practices after taking office in 2009.
During the presidential campaign, Republican nominee Donald Trump suggested that as president he would push to change laws that prohibit waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques, arguing that banning them puts the U. S. at a strategic disadvantage against Islamic State militants.
____
AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee and AP National Security Writer Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report. Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
2016-11-16 05:02 By Associated mynorthwest.com
70 /100 0.0 Stories of Refugees, Part IV: Out of Syria Mohanad Hussein, his young wife, Hadeel, and their toddler Nusreen arrived in San Francisco 22 days before I met them. “She is 18 months and two days,” Hadeel said smiling and gesturing at her daughter who was energetically engaged in exploring the room we were in. Mohanad looked disconcertingly stiff, as though he was unsure of what to expect, and the interview started with brief responses from him: Why did the United Nations Refugee Agency select you to come to the United States? “I don’t know.” Describe your last year. “Difficult.” What did you feel when you landed? “Tired.”
I put it down to how fresh his arrival was and how alien everything must seem to this young man who was displaced from friends, family and home and suddenly found himself thrust into the arc lights of an American story. After a few minutes of persistence, I saw a gradual loosening of Mohanad’s wary rigidity. He began to elaborate, and his story took shape.
Mohanad grew up in Dara’a, in southern Syria, about eight miles from the Jordanian border. He lived in a two-story home with his parents and extended family. The ground floor level of their house was rented out to shops. After the Syrian army moved into the town, people began to leave and shops began to shutter.
His family didn’t have land or even a large property, Mohanad explained, but what they had seemed “like heaven” compared to what they saw after the war started in Syria. The Syrian army moved into their town and made it their base. Mohanad estimated that close to 50,000 people left the city after the army moved in.
When I asked Mohanad if he would consider going back to Syria, he shook his head. He had left Syria for Jordan with his wife to avoid being drafted into the Syrian army. His father and brothers had stayed behind. Mohanad had been eligible for the draft at the time the war started. Earlier, it used to be that if a man avoiding the draft had been caught, he would have been imprisoned but allowed to live; now, however, there was certain torture and death awaiting him in Syria. His father and brothers stayed back because all of them had already served before the war started, so they were not compelled to join the army.
“What did you leave behind,” I asked Mohanad. We left behind a destroyed country. We hope there will be a solution soon in Syria and that God will be with the people, he answered.
Mohanad and Hadeeel lived for three years in a Jordanian refugee camp. He would definitely advise people from the camp to come to the United States, Mohanad said. “It’s better here,” he remarked with his familiar brevity.
I asked Mohanad and Hadeel how they first met, and Hadeel giggled charmingly and explained that they were together in school. She was his brother’s wife’s sister, Mohanad interjected, and almost cracked a grin.
When I asked Hadeel to describe her home in Oakland, she said, “There’s nothing here. It’s empty.” The most important thing in her house is her daughter, she said, adding that Nusreen had become a lot tougher to handle, probably because she sees fewer people and doesn’t interact with other children.
Mohanad has found a part-time job working four hours a day. Hadeel spends the day playing with her daughter or listening to music and cooking Syrian food, like kabsa (a rice dish) and luhia (stuffed grape leaves).
Hadeel admitted to feeling bored and frustrated and isolated and wished they lived near other Syrians. Mohanad contacted Syrians in the area through Facebook, and one of his new online friends visited them and took the three of them out in his car, showing them the neighborhood and taking them shopping. This little act of kindness became the highlight of their resettled experience.
At an event organized by International Rescue Committee at SomArts Cultural Center in San Francisco on Oct. 24, Hans van de Weerd, executive director of IRC, told the people assembled that “this refugee crisis needs new solutions, not old solutions.”
“We need your ideas,” he urged the attendees. “We need you to do what it takes to make this country a welcoming country for refugees.” The crisis is unprecedented, he said. “There are 35,000 people being displaced every day … from Mosul, from Nigeria, from Aleppo.” He blamed politicians for manipulating the feelings of people and creating a climate of anger and mistrust. “Refugees are families like you and me.”
In the fiscal year 2015, 1,631 individuals and 612 families were resettled in Northern California. Only 16 percent of these individuals have university degrees. The overwhelming majority of refugees resettled in Northern California (32 percent) cannot indicate what grade they finished in school.
In my interviews with refugees, educational opportunities have been one of the key drivers of American life.
They’ve come to America for their daughter — so little Nusreen can have opportunities to study, Mohanad said. Mohanad mentioned he hadn’t studied beyond the 9th grade, and that has made him understand the value of literacy.
The young couple has embraced the fact that life in America is culturally and socially different and requires several commitments from them, including learning a new language so they can communicate with people around them. It’s tough, they admitted, but Mohanad believes strongly that all their experiences thus far have prepared them for America. It remains to be seen whether the America he came to will be the same as the one next year.
2016-11-16 05:00 By www.sfexaminer.com
71 /100 0.0 Thousands of kids dying in northeast Nigeria, says survey Thousands of kids dying in northeast Nigeria, says survey Associated Press - 16 November 2016 03:18-05:00 News Topics: General news, Child and teen health, Emergency management, War and unrest, Health, Government and politics People, Places and Companies: Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria, France, Paris Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
2016-11-16 04:58 system article.wn.com
72 /100 0.0 Netflix, NHK Partnership on ‘Trial’ TOKYO — Netflix and Japan ’s public broadcaster NHK are partnering on a four- part historical drama to be broadcast next month.
NHK will broadcast “ Tokyo Trials ” about the post-WWII court hearings of Japanese war criminals, on its terrestrial channel, while Netflix will stream it abroad. Then, after the NHK On-Demand VoD service has aired the series for a period, Netflix will also offer it to users in Japan.
Both companies contributed to the production costs, with NHK concluding co- production deals with L. A.- and Toronto- based Don Carmody Television and Amsterdam-based FATT Productions. Pieter Verhoeff and Rob King are the drama’s co-directors.
After launching in Japan in the fall of 2015, Netflix has made shows with Japanese with broadcaster Fuji TV, talent agency Yoshimoto Kogyo, and ad agency Dentsu. For NHK, however, this sort of production and broadcast arrangement with Netflix is a first.
2016-11-16 04:51 Mark Schilling variety.com
73 /100 0.0 Trump's lobbyist ban complicates administration hiring Donald Trump's promise to "drain the swamp" of Washington might make it difficult for him to fill his administration.
Trump's ethics plan calls for a ban on all executive-branch officials from lobbying for five years after leaving their government jobs. That's one of several policies aimed at curbing the influence of lobbyists.
His campaign released his plan three weeks before Election Day.
Now, the Republican president-elect is racing to hire some 4,000 executive-branch employees. His ethics plan could give some job-seekers pause because it limits how they can earn a living when they decide to leave the administration.
"This will have a chilling effect on his hiring, no doubt," said Paul Miller, who leads the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics. "We don't want career politicians. "
2016-11-16 04:49 By JULIE www.charlotteobserver.com
74 /100 0.0 Serbia police arrest 10 for arms trafficking; weapons found Serbian police have arrested 10 people suspected of arms-trafficking and confiscated a large quantity of weapons, including rocket launchers and automatic guns.
Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said Wednesday that the arrests took place in northern Serbia. He said an investigation is taking place to determine whether the weapons were to be sold, and if so where.
Stefanovic says the cache included explosives, more than 100 hand grenades, anti-tank mines, two rocket-launchers, a machine gun, automatic and semi-automatic guns, as well as ammunition.
Arms-smuggling has flourished in the Balkans following the wars of the 1990s when many weapons were left behind and later sold or distributed illegally. Some of the weapons used in last year's terror attacks in Paris originated in the Balkans.
2016-11-16 04:38 The Associated www.charlotteobserver.com
75 /100 0.0 School removal of Obama mural on Election Day sparks outcry WINDSOR, Conn. (AP) - A Connecticut school superintendent has apologized to parents who are upset after a mural that featured a silhouette of President Barack Obama was removed from an elementary school on Election Day.
Windsor Public Schools Superintendent Craig Cooke said Tuesday the mural at Oliver Ellsworth School was painted over to make way for something that would showcase student work. He says it was done Nov. 8, when the school was closed, so students and staff wouldn’t inhale harmful odors used in the paint.
The 2009 mural featured student signatures and other historical events of that time.
Cooke says the timing for replacing the mural “couldn’t have been worse” and apologized for the “mistake.”
Cooke told parents at a meeting Tuesday that district officials will work to replace the mural.
2016-11-16 04:36 By www.washingtontimes.com
76 /100 0.0 Housing activists block access to Public Works department The organisers demanded a meeting with Thiagaraj Pillay‚ the Western Cape Government’s Chief Director of Public-Private Partnerships‚ to discuss the publication of the affordable housing feasibility study for the former Tafelberg School site in Sea Point.
On November 3‚ Pillay sent an email to Ndifuna Ukwazi Law Centre explaining that the delayed but required consultations with the Social Housing Regulatory Authority were completed at the end of October and the feasibility study would be published by November 11.
After the missed deadline‚ activists went to Pillay’s office to discuss publication of the report‚ after failing to reach him via telephone. According to Emile Engel of Ndifuna Ukwazi‚ an organiser at the scene‚ the police confirmed that Pillay was in the building but refused to meet with them.
At approximately 1pm‚ Pillay sent a letter via email to representatives of Ndifuna Ukwazi explaining that “the translations of the notices to be published as well as ... the financial model in question has taken us more time to finalise than was initially anticipated when we last wrote to you on this matter.
This process has however now been finalised ... and the notices are being sent to the media houses concerned for publication. You have our assurances that we are working as hard as we can to get this process finalised and that the recent delays will be accommodated in the time period which is being given for comment.”
In response‚ Engel told GroundUp that it was a problem that this letter did not come immediately after the missed deadline‚ but only on Tuesday‚ after Ndifuna Ukwazi Law Centre approached Pillay’s office. Michael Mpofu‚ spokesperson for Premier Helen Zille‚ accused Ndifuna Ukwazi of being "disingenuous". Referring to Pillay's letter‚ he said the organisation was aware that the government was "publishing a notice calling for public comment on the proposed financial model". He said: "Once the notice has been published‚ they are – like anyone else – free to engage with the document and make their submissions. "
Ndifuna Ukwazi Law Centre has requested that Pillay’s office “urgently publish... by close of business on Wednesday 16 November 2016.” – TMG Digital/GroundUp
2016-11-16 04:34 Colleen Monaghan www.timeslive.co.za
77 /100 0.0 DAC Group acquires Edinburgh-based digital agency Ambergreen Edinburgh-based digital agency Ambergreen has been acquired by North American digital media agency DAC Group for an undisclosed fee.
As part of DAC's second UK acquisition in the last 18 months, Ambergreen will continue to operate independently while benefiting from access to the group’s core services such as its tech capable of optimising local, social, and multi- device campaigns.
Tino Nombro, co-founder of Ambergreen said: “Having established Ambergreen in 2001, we have been at the leading edge of digital marketing from the beginning. For the past two years, we have been developing our business by making improvements to our breadth and depth of client solutions in response to ongoing changes in the digital landscape.
“DAC’s technology is uniquely positioned to take advantage of local ecosystems for national brands.”
Norm Hagarty, chief executive and managing partner of DAC Group, said: “Our primary focus at DAC Group is helping national brands, who have a distributed sales network of stores or locations and where sales at the regional or local level are critical to success, build an effective presence to drive results. As we expand internationally we want to partner with agencies who deeply understand and appreciate that philosophy. That’s why this is a very exciting development for us and one which I am personally delighted about.
Ambergreen was founded in 2001 by Tino Nombro and Grant Whiteside with clients including Hotel Chocolat, PwC, The Elder Scrolls and Turquoise Holidays.
2016-11-16 04:33 All John www.thedrum.com
78 /100 78 /100 0.0 Three common arguments for preserving the Electoral College – and why they’re wrong In November 2000, newly elected New York Senator Hillary Clinton promised that when she took office in 2001, she would introduce a to abolish the Electoral College, the 18th-century, state-by-state, winner- take-all system for selecting the president. – a decision that must haunt her today. In this year’s election, , but lost by a significant margin in the Electoral College. In addition to 2016, there have been four other times in American history – 1824, 1876, 1888 and 2000 – when the candidate who won the Electoral College lost the national popular vote. Each time, a Democratic presidential candidate lost the election due to this system. For that reason, views on the fairness of the Electoral College are often partisan. Not surprisingly, many Clinton supporters have called for its or. But indicate that supporters of both parties feel that this 18th- century system of choosing a president should be modified or abolished. Nonetheless, others continue to make the case for preserving the Electoral College in its current form, usually using one of three arguments. In my course about American elections, we discuss these arguments – and how each has serious flaws. During the 1787 Constitutional Convention, the delegates “ ” and particularly distrusted the ability of average voters to choose a president in a national election. The result was the , a system that gave each state a number of electors based on its number of members in Congress. On a date set by Congress, state legislatures would choose a set of electors who would later convene in their respective state capitals to cast votes for president. Because there were no political parties back then, it was assumed that electors would use their best judgment to choose a president. With the rise of the two-party system, the modern Electoral College continued to evolve. By the 1820s, began to pass laws allowing voters, not state legislatures, to choose electors on a winner-take-all basis. Today, in every state except Nebraska and Maine, whichever candidate wins the most votes in a state wins all the electors from that state, no matter what the margin of victory. Just look at the impact this system had on the 2016 race: Donald Trump won Pennsylvania and Florida by a combined margin of to earn 49 electoral votes. Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, won Massachusetts by but earned only 11 electoral votes. The winner-take-all electoral system explains why one candidate can get more votes nationwide while a different candidate wins in the Electoral College. (Some have pointed out that the Electoral College was also created to protect southern slaveholder interests that are irrelevant today.) Despite these issues, many continue to defend the system. Here’s why they’re wrong. first learning about the Electoral College will often defend the system by citing its original purpose: to provide a check on the public in case they make a poor choice for president. But electors no longer work as independent agents nor as agents of the state legislature. They’re for their party loyalty by party conventions or party leaders. In presidential elections between 1992 and 2012, over 99 percent of electors kept their pledges to a candidate, and there were only two “.” One Gore elector from Washington, D. C. cast a blank ballot in 2000 a lack of congressional representation for District of Columbia residents. And one Kerry elector in Minnesota in 2004 voted for vice presidential candidate John Edwards for both president and vice president – , since none of Minnesota’s electors admitted to the action afterward. There have been scattered faithless electors in past elections, but they’ve never influenced the outcome of a presidential election. Since winner-take-all laws began in the 1820s, electors have rarely acted independently or against the wishes of the party that chose them. requiring the partisan electors to keep their pledges when voting. Yes, some of this year’s Republican electors may not have been big supporters of Donald Trump’s candidacy. But despite , there’s that some electors may consider voting for someone like Paul Ryan to prevent a Trump majority and throw the election into the U. S. House of Representatives. Since 2000, a popular argument for the electoral college made on and talk radio is that without the Electoral College, candidates would spend all their time campaigning in big cities and would ignore low-population areas.
2016-11-16 04:23 Robert Speel www.salon.com
79 /100 0.0 Obama to outline vision of democracy in a Trump world US President Barack Obama will Wednesday sketch out his vision of democracy at a time of mounting global populism, seeking to soothe European allies anxious over a Donald Trump presidency.
On the second day of a European farewell tour, Obama will build on a topic he outlined on Tuesday -- the "frustration and anger" of an electorate that feels it has been left behind by rapid globalisation.
"The lesson I draw -- and I think people can draw a lot of lessons but maybe one that cuts across countries -- is we have to deal with issues like inequality," said Obama.
The 55-year-old Obama has chosen the "cradle of democracy" Greece to deliver a speech addressing the uncertainties that have led to the rise of populists like Trump.
Trump was able to tap into "a suspicion of globalisation, a desire to rein in its excesses, a suspicion of elites and governing institutions," Obama noted.
Obama's visit to Europe -- his last foreign trip as American leader -- has been all about reassuring traditional allies worried about Trump's campaign rhetoric.
Trump welcomed Britain's shock vote in June to leave the European Union and has cast doubts on the NATO alliance that has guaranteed relative peace on the continent for decades.
However, Obama was at pains to stress that Europe -- and NATO -- would remain the cornerstone of US foreign policy.
The US-led NATO grouping is "absolutely vital" to US interests and a strong, unified Europe was good for America and the world, Obama said in comments aimed at reassuring old partners.
"We know what happens when Europeans start dividing themselves up... the 20th century was a bloodbath," he said pointedly.
Obama was expected to visit the Acropolis ahead of his much-anticipated speech before heading to Germany to visit Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom he has described as "probably ... my closest international partner these last eight years".
During his time in Berlin, he will also huddle with the leaders of Britain, France and Italy, as European leaders desperately seek clues to future US policy in a Trump world.
- 'Extraordinary compassion' -
While Obama has generally been welcomed in Greece, some demonstrators hit the streets to protest against his visit.
Some 2,500 people brandishing banners denouncing US "imperialism" and calling Obama "non grata", or not welcome, were turned away by police firing tear gas and stun grenades as they tried to breach barriers and head toward the city centre.
Many Greeks are suspicious of the United States after it helped install a repressive seven-year dictatorship in the country in the 1960s, and trade unions, leftist and anarchist parties denounce US involvement in wars in the Middle East.
Several hundred of the protesters appeared to be from Greece's vocal anarchist movement, police told AFP.
On the first day of his visit, Obama also touched on issues that have shaken Greek society -- a dramatic influx of migrants fleeing war and poverty and a crippling financial crisis.
He lauded the Greek people's "extraordinary compassion" to hundreds of thousands of people arriving during Europe's worst migrant crisis since World War II.
He also pledged support for Greece's economy, as Greek leaders seek a fresh US pledge to help alleviate the country's enormous public debt, a measure actively sought by the International Monetary Fund but opposed by leading European lender Germany.
"In my message to the rest of Europe I will continue to emphasise our view that austerity alone cannot deliver prosperity," Obama told Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.
2016-11-16 04:20 www.digitaljournal.com
80 /100 0.0 City considers early closing hours for Walnut Creek bar over public disturbances A longtime East Bay bar is under fire from city officials and police. Crogan's Bar in Walnut Creek has been ordered to closer earlier because of to many police calls and a homicide outside the establishment last summer, but owners are fighting back. Anyone who knows Walnut Creek knows Crogan's Bar. Since 1978 it's been the place where everybody knows your name. "I came here as a child. I was brought here by my father and I continue to come here," said Walnut Creek resident Courtney Beckman. Police say, they've been to Crogan's too. They've received more than 700 calls for service over the past four years ranging from disorderly conduct to an assault on a police officer and public intoxication. Andy Martilla says the clientele is too rowdy for him most weekends. "The crowd's coming down here want to make me go someplace else," Matilla said. Courtney Brown, 38, was shot and killed last August outside Crogan's after a dispute with another man. The city now recommends Crogan's stop serving liquor at midnight and close by 12:30 a.m., instead of 2 a.m. Bar owners told council members that would ruin business. New security at the door has been added. "We check purses, fanny packs, people coming in and we take anything away from them now," said Patricia Wilkinson, Crogan's owner. Police showed a chart showing that no other bar in town has more calls for service than Crogan's. But some believe Crogan's in being singled out. "They're trying to make this a very high class area and taking out the people who made Walnut Creek the way it is," brown said. The city will vote on the new hours for Crogan's on Dec. 5.
2016-11-16 04:14 (Copyright abc7news.com
81 /100 0.0 China Ex-Vice Mayor Wanted for Corruption Returns From US A former Chinese vice mayor who was among the most wanted for alleged corruption has been arrested upon returning home in the latest success for President Xi Jinping's fight against graft in government.
Yang Xiuzhu arrived in Beijing on Wednesday after being refused asylum in the U. S., where she fled 13 years ago.
Yang was formerly a deputy mayor in the eastern city of Wenzhou and is wanted in China for allegedly embezzling more than $40 million. She was among China's 100 most-wanted graft suspects that China had asked Interpol for help apprehending.
Yang was immediately taken into custody after being led off a plane by a pair of policewomen.
China launched its "Sky Net" campaign to apprehend fugitive graft suspects in April 2015.
2016-11-16 04:03 By abcnews.go.com
82 /100 82 /100 0.0 Scoop: Old couple alert: Fisher and Ford had ‘Star Wars’ affair It’s official — 40 years after the fact: Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford had an affair during the making of “Star Wars.”
The actress confessed that the pair had a romantic relationship when the original “Star Wars” was shot in 1976; at the time Ford was married with two children.
“It was so intense,” the actress told People about being with the 33-year-old when she was 19. “I was so inexperienced, but I trusted something about him. He was kind,” she said.
She added, “It was Han and Leia during the week, and Carrie and Harrison during the weekend.”
Fisher, 60, provides more details about the three-month liaison (which happened “a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away”) in her memoir, “The Princess Diarist,” slated for release next week.
Apparently part of the inspiration for writing the book came when she stumbled on angst-ridden journals she kept while filming on location in London.
People reports that Ford had received a draft of the book, and that he didn’t respond to a recent request for a comment about it.
Saucy Awards were given at the Golden Gate Restaurant Association’s first gala, hosted by KCBS’ Liam Mayclem on Monday at the Herbst Theatre. Among the individual winners (in 16 categories) were: Ravi Kapur of Liholiho Yacht Club, chef of the year; Belinda Leong of b.patisserie, pastry chef; and Melissa Reitz of Bar Agricole, rising star chef. Nicole Krasinski and Stuart Brioza of State Bird and The Progress were restaurateurs of the year; Lulu McAllister Churchill of NOPA and Liholiho Yacht Club, best beverage professional; Kory Cogdill of Tacolicious, employee of the year, and Justine Flynn of Souvla, manager of the year. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Pete Sittnick of Waterbar and Epic Roasthouse, and the People’s Choice for Restaurant of the Year was Copita Tequileria y Comida.
San Francisco’s dashing Paul Perez is among the men competing for “best facial hair in the country” and the title of Wahl Man of the Year (which also gets him $1,500 and a spot in a national ad. To vote, visit the Wahl Grooming Facebook page by Dec. 1. … The new season of “America’s Next Top Model” begins on Dec. 12 on VH1, with host Rita Ora (instead of creator Tyra Banks) and new judges Ashley Graham (model), Drew Elliott (of pop culture site Paper Magazine) and Law Roach (stylists); competitors include two locals: Cody Wells of San Jose and Courtney Nelson of San Francisco.
Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal is 39. … Actress Martha Plimpton is 46. … Actress Lisa Bonet is 49. … Singer Diana Krall is 52. … Actress Marg Helgenberger is 58.
2016-11-16 04:01 By www.sfexaminer.com
83 /100 83 /100 0.0 Paris climate deal at risk unless countries step up plans, says watchdog The Paris agreement on climate change risks failure unless countries come forward with more ambitious and detailed plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the world’s energy watchdog has warned.
The agreement, reached almost a year ago, is only a “framework”, said the International Energy Agency on Wednesday, and requires sweeping policy changes among governments around the world to put its aims into force.
“Government policies will determine where we go from here,” said Fatih Birol, the executive director of the agency. Current national pledges on greenhouse gas emissions, though “an achievement”, are inadequate and most governments have yet to indicate what further reductions they could make.
Governments are meeting this week in Marrakech to flesh out some of the legal and technical details of the Paris accord. But their talks have been overshadowed by the election of Donald Trump as US president because he has vowed repeatedly to cancel the agreement, or at least the US’s participation in it. This risks returning the world to the stalemate that characterised the decade of climate talks from the 1997 Kyoto protocol to the 2008 accession of Barack Obama, during which the US barely took part in the negotiations or, in some cases, actively obstructed them.
Birol urged caution: “Governments come and go around the world. This is a perfectly normal thing, and energy policies change with changes in administration. We may well see a change in US policy and, given the size of the US economy, these changes may have global implications. If there are such changes, we will include them in our analysis. But for now, it would be premature to speculate on what these policies might be.”
Under the Paris agreement, which came into force this month, nations have pledged to hold global warming to no more than 2C above pre-industrial levels, with an “aspiration” not to exceed 1.5C. However, the accompanying national pledges made by each government on curbs to their emissions are not legally binding.
Although those national pledges are likely to be met, according to the IEA’s World Energy Outlook, widely regarded as the gold standard on energy research, this will only slow down the projected rise in carbon emissions from energy from an annual average of about 650m tonnes a year since 2000 to about 150m tonnes in 2040. While a significant change, that would still leave the world exceeding the 2C goal by about 0.7C by the end of the century.
Policies to bring the world on to a 2C trajectory must be implemented as a matter of urgency if the Paris pledge is to be fulfilled, the IEA said, as emissions must peak in the next few years to avoid adding too much to the stock of carbon in the atmosphere.
Once carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere, it tends to stay there for at least a century, unless absorbed by the planet’s “carbon sinks”, such as forests and oceans. However, our emissions have long outstripped the ability of the world’s carbon sinks to absorb them. It is the carbon in the atmosphere that determines what happens to climate change, and as yet there is no viable technology – and no realistic prospect of it – to suck carbon from the air.
These physical realities make early action on reducing emissions vital, because actions taken later will be less effective.
The IEA highlighted the growing role of renewable energy, predicting that nearly 60% of all new power generation capacity by 2040 would be from renewable sources. The pace of growth has outstripped previous forecasts, as costs have come down faster than expected and governments have shifted policies. China’s reliance on coal – it is the largest consumer and producer – peaked in 2013, according to the data, and its falling coal consumption and increasing renewable generation capacity will “transform the global outlook”.
Even as more of global generation comes from renewable sources, demand will rise by about 30% by 2040, according to the projections, with all of the increase coming from developing countries. But even as they develop, hundreds of millions of their populations will be left behind.
More than half a billion people are forecast to still be without electricity in 2040. While this is less than half of current levels, it represents a failure to meet global pledges to rescue the poorest from their lack of access to modern energy, which results in millions of deaths from indoor air pollution as they use other sources of fuel , and limits development and education.
Separately, in the UK, ministers were warned that without urgent action during the current parliament, the UK would fail to meet its emissions targets, and investor confidence in the energy sector would plunge. The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) urged the chancellor, Philip Hammond, to include commitments on reforming energy policy in his autumn statement next week.
In a review of the UK’s energy policy, published on Wednesday, leading academics called for a clearer focus on energy in the government’s forthcoming industrial strategy, as well as new strategies on heat and energy efficiency, progress on which has been stalled by the scrapping of the “green deal” on home improvements. They also called for “a new approach” to carbon capture and storage, in response to a recent report by Lord Oxburgh, which criticised the abandonment of taxpayer support for the fledgling technology.
Jim Watson, UKERC’s director, said: “There are problems with the government’s approach [to energy]. The cheaper options for renewable energy [in the form of onshore wind and solar, support for which has been slashed] have been taken off the agenda. And Hinkley Point [nuclear power station] is likely to be very expensive.”
He also pointed to energy efficiency as a problem area, as “retrofitting buildings has really slowed down because of the policy environment”.
The UK could still meet its carbon targets, he concluded, but it would require action now, because current policies were inadequate and the progress on emissions reductions made in the past few years had been the result of policy decisions taken well over a decade ago. 2016-11-16 04:00 Fiona Harvey www.theguardian.com
84 /100 0.0 Bursting the Facebook bubble: we asked voters on the left and right to swap feeds T he 2016 election took place under the spectre of a bubble. Not the subprime mortgage lending bubble that shaped the 2008 election, but the “filter bubble”. Tens of millions of American voters gets their news on Facebook , where highly personalized news feeds dish up a steady stream of content that reinforces users’ pre- existing beliefs.
Facebook users are increasingly sheltered from opposing viewpoints – and reliable news sources – and the viciously polarized state of our national politics appears to be one of the results.
Criticism of the filter bubble, which gained steam after the UK’s surprising Brexit vote , has reached a new level of urgency in the wake of Donald Trump’s upset victory, despite Mark Zuckerberg’s denial it had any influence.
To test the effects of political polarization on Facebook we asked ten US voters – five conservative and five liberal – to agree to take a scroll on the other side during the final month of the campaign.
We created two Facebook accounts from scratch. “Rusty Smith”, our right-wing avatar, liked a variety of conservative news sources, organizations, and personalities, from the Wall Street Journal and The Hoover Institution to Breitbart News and Bill O’Reilly. “Natasha Smith”, our left- wing persona, preferred The New York Times, Mother Jones, Democracy Now and Think Progress. Rusty liked Tim Tebow and the NRA. Natasha liked Colin Kaepernick and 350.org.
Our liberals were given log-ins to the conservative feed, and vice versa, and we asked our participants to limit their news consumption as much as possible to the feed for the 48 hours following the third debate, the reopening of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, and the election.
Not all of our participants made it through to election day. “You might as well have been waterboarding a brother,” said one of the participants, Alphonso Pines, after his first exposure to the right-wing feed.
But eight of our bubble-busters made multiple forays into the Facebook feed and were interviewed three or four times – one even said the experience influenced his final decision. Here’s how it impacted them all: From Utah to St Louis, and Georgia to San Francisco, most of our participants were aware that they lived in a bubble.
“Twelve people have shared a story with me about the Hillary Clinton bus dumping human waste into the sewer system,” said Trent Loos, a farmer and radio host from central Nebraska. “I never see positive stuff about Hillary Clinton. I didn’t know that existed.”
Nato Green, a comedian and writer who describes his political orientation as “somewhere to the left of Che Guevara”, describes a similarly sheltered existence.
“I find regular Americans incredibly exotic,” the native San Franciscan said. “I know Jill Stein people, and I know ‘don’t vote’ people, but I don’t know Trump people.”
Several participants said that they sought out opposing viewpoints outside of Facebook, by watching Fox News (for a liberal) or reading High Country News (for a conservative), but most had a generally one-sided experience within Facebook’s news feed.
“If I got any Trump supporters on my page, they’re in the closet,” said Pines, a retired union organizer and liberal who lives in Smyrna, Georgia.
If there was one thing that our participants agreed on, it was that the Facebook feed “the other side” reads is largely wrong.
“It’s like reading a book by a fool,” said Pines. “It’s hard to read something you know is a lie.”
Another liberal, Nikki Moungo from St Louis county, Missouri, went a step further: “It’s like being locked into a room full of those suffering from paranoid delusions,” she said.
Loos said that he found the left-wing Facebook feed was too “confined” and he was frustrated by the liberal media’s attempts to “spin” and “justify” every negative story about Clinton.
Andra Constantin, a conservative project manager from Westchester County, New York, was frustrated by “this whole big brainwashing push to save the world from the horrible climate change”.
Both Constantin and Green agreed that a conservative Facebook feed in the run up to the election had more diversity of opinions than a liberal one, largely because Republicans were divided on supporting Trump while liberals were generally united behind Clinton.
“I didn’t see the issues being discussed,” Constantin said of the liberal feed. “Even though we can be hateful and nasty, at both ends of the conservative side we’re talking about the issues a bit more.”
When Green returned to his regular liberal feed after the third debate, he felt completely out of the loop with his cohort’s topics of conversation. “I logged in and I was like – bad hombres , nasty women , what is everyone talking about?”
For several of our participants, reading the alternative Facebook feed was not just surprising, but hurtful.
“It’s hard for me to read some of it,” said Pines, who is black. “It’s just a racist kind of thing, and I don’t think it’s cleverly disguised.” Pines was particularly pained by the way in which Obama was portrayed by the right-wing sources, which he described as “code” and “dog whistles”. Pam Tau Lee, a retired community organizer and activist from San Francisco, also had difficulty stomaching the right-wing feed.
“Everything that they are saying is bad, I fall under that category,” said the fourth-generation Chinese-American. “The hateful stuff: that’s me. They hate me and my community and what I stand for.”
Kathleen Matz, who owns a pet care service in Oakland, California, found the “misogyny” on sites like Breitbart “hurtful”.
“I just stopped. I couldn’t look at it anymore,” she said.
But it wasn’t only the liberals who found the experience painful.
“I’m seeing a lot more hate from the liberal side,” said Constantin. “It’s all about how much of a horrible, fascist, racist, misogynist Trump is.”
On her own feed, Constantin found herself winnowing down her friends in order to avoid arguments.
“I did unfollow a lot of friends because I didn’t want to feel enticed to correct what they were saying and get in a fight,” she said.
“Honestly, I hated it,” said Janalee Tobias, a longtime conservative activist and member of Mormons for Trump from South Jordan, Utah. “I’m seeing a psychiatrist trying to get over the shock and the hate from the left,” she joked. “I thought this would be easier for me to handle, because I’m considered pretty open minded.”
For some of our participants, checking out the other bubble only confirmed their commitment to staying inside their own.
“I learned that [people on the right] are way more vicious and lack a certain maturity that I would expect of adults,” said Moungo, after the election. “This just absolutely confirmed it ... They are irredeemable monsters.”
“Seeing the liberal feed pulled me further to the right,” said Loos. “Without getting the counterpoint, I was drawn more and more to the conservative side. Instead of luring me in, it pushed me away.”
But some of our participants found greater understanding from the experiment.
Lee said she was impressed by the “cleverness” of right-wing messaging, which uses “words like working class and jobs and economic stability. That promise is so great that it overshadows everything else, and I could see that, if that’s the only thing that I saw, I could understand. I could be swayed.”
Asked whether that understanding had resulted in her having more empathy for Trump voters, Lee said: “I don’t know if I’m there yet, but I’m working on it. I come from a place where I want to build a movement coming from love and compassion, so I’m working on it.”
One of our participants, Todd Macfarlane, said his time on the liberal Facebook page influenced his final decision. A rancher and attorney from Kanosh, Utah, Macfarlane is a registered Republican who was considering supporting the GOP nominee, but ultimately chose not to vote for any presidential candidate.
“The needle moved,” he said after his first exposure to the liberal feed. “I was kind of more undecided as I looked at it ... I was persuaded to think he’s a really bad choice.”
Macfarlane didn’t encounter any liberal news sources that convinced him to support Clinton, but his time on the feed helped him realize that a Trump presidency could be dangerous.
“It had to do with his overall temperament and decorum and demeanor,” he said. “It just reinforced for me the concern about what he might do with that much power.”
It wasn’t just his vote that changed, for Macfarlane. Since participating in the experiment, he said, “I’m a lot more interested in engaging with people who are open minded and are willing to talk about the whole picture.”
Constantin, who currently relies on Facebook for 100% of her news, said that she has concluded that the platform “seems to filter out credible news articles on both ends and feed sensationalist far left/far right things”.
“I have to be more proactive about getting good quality content,” she said.
Tobias said that exposure to the other side made her realize how difficult it might be to find common ground after the election.
“It’s frightening to me to see how much the left and the right are divided right now,” she said. To bring us back together, I don’t know what it’s going to take.”
For Green, the lessons of the election are more stark.
“Maybe we should stop having social media,” he said. “For all the things that social media has done in terms of making it easier for me to stay in touch with someone that I was vaguely friends with in college, maybe the ability with social media for people to construct their own reality to create a mob is not worth it.”
2016-11-16 04:00 Olivia Solon www.theguardian.com
85 /100 0.0 People-smuggling: new photos boost claim that wrong man is on trial in Italy New photographs appear to show one of north Africa’s most wanted people-smugglers celebrating at a family wedding, giving fresh momentum to claims that a man accused of being the smuggler, and set to face trial in Italy this week, is the victim of mistaken identity.
Prosecutors in Sicily will begin a second round of legal proceedings on Wednesday against a man they allege to be Medhanie Yehdego Mered, a 35-year-old Eritrean who is said to be a notorious people-smuggler in north Africa .
An Eritrean man was extradited in June from Sudan , with the help of the British Foreign Office and the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), in a move that attracted intense media attention at the time. But the family of the extradited man have always maintained that he is in fact 29-year- old Medhanie Tesfamariam Berhe.
Some of the smuggler’s former victims have also testified that the man on trial is not the man who smuggled them and an estimated 13,000 others between Sudan, Libya and southern Europe. One asked to remain anonymous because he fears the real smuggler is still at large in Sudan, and could intimidate his family there.
Before the second round of court proceedings, the prosecution’s case has been further weakened by the emergence of nine photographs that allegedly show Mered celebrating at his nephew’s wedding in October 2015. The alleged smuggler can be seen dancing, posing, holding a drape and being spoon-fed cake by his sister.
The man in the photographs looks markedly different to the man facing trial in Italy but closely resembles the person described as Mered in wanted posters released by Italian prosecutors in previous years.
Two guests at the wedding said the man photographed at the celebrations was the smuggler the Italians claim to be putting on trial.
“The guy on the right is Medhanie Yehdego Mered,” said the first source, when presented with a photo showing Mered standing in a row of three wedding guests. “Everybody knew he was a smuggler at the wedding and everybody was talking about him.”
A second source also confirmed his identity. “That’s him, the guy eating cake wearing white,” said the second source, referring to a photo showing Mered with his sister. “He is an idiot in real life too. Even at the wedding he was … fighting with someone.”
The revelations raise further concerns about the competence of Italian and British anti- smuggling operations. In June, both countries presented Mered’s alleged arrest as a major victory in the fight to curb people-smuggling in north Africa, which has brought nearly 500,000 people to Italy in the past three years. The NCA hailed its “substantial” role in both tracking Mered down and liaising with the Sudanese authorities to secure his arrest. The FCO also praised its own “crucial” involvement in liaising with Sudan.
But the emergence of the wedding photographs leaves both Britain and Italy with serious questions to answer, said Berhe’s lawyer, Michele Calantropo. “These photos are really important because they prove what we have been trying to say in the last months,” said Calantropo. “They prove that the smuggler is still at large and that he is obviously not my client.”
The FCO admitted that it had not checked whether the man extradited to Italy was the man sought by British police, but said that concerns about the investigative process should be directed to the NCA and the Italian authorities. The NCA said it could not comment on a live case, while Roy Godding, the NCA operative who led the Mered investigation, did not respond to approaches made to him directly. The Italian prosecutors said: “No comment from us.” The photograph collection is one of several new indications that Italy may be prosecuting the wrong man. According to previously unseen court documents, prosecutors admitted that Nuredin Atta Wehabrebi, an Eritrean smuggler-turned-supergrass assisting in the Mered investigation, did not recognise Berhe. “I have never seen this guy before,” he is quoted as saying by prosecutors.
Separately, a brief Facebook conversation from October 2015 between Berhe and Mered’s wife, Lidia Tesfu, suggests that the pair did not know each other, contradicting prosecution claims that Berhe is an alias for Mered.
After an initial exchange in which the pair tried to establish whether they had met, Berhe told Tesfu he liked her profile picture, and said he was attracted to her. “But I’m a married person,” said Tesfu. “No problem, you can have more than one man,” Berhe replied, before Tesfu laughed away his suggestion, ending their interactions.
Court documents also reveal that the Sudanese justice ministry could have approved Berhe’s extradition by overriding the recommendations of Sudanese investigators. His extradition papers say that the justice minister could deport him “without obligating the minister to take into consideration the recommendations of the detective judge who interrogated the criminal”. However, the document does not explain the content of those recommendations.
These disclosures are the latest in a series of revelations that raise questions about the prosecution’s case. It has already emerged that:
One of them, Anbes Yemane, a 23-year-old Eritrean student, said: “I know [Mered] very well, I can recognise him very well. That wasn’t him.”
The prosecution’s case now largely rests on three more wiretapped phone calls between Berhe and smugglers in Libya in May 2016. In the first, Berhe tells a smuggler that some friends want to travel to Libya, according to court documents. In the second, Berhe speaks with a man who seems to be both his friend and a client of the smugglers, and agrees to pass on a message to the friend’s family. In the third, a smuggler tells Berhe that a friend of his has yet to pay his smuggling fees.
Berhe’s lawyer does not dispute that these wiretaps feature his client but argues the calls contain no incriminating evidence. Many innocent Eritreans are regularly in touch with smugglers in Libya, helping to organise transport across the Sahara and the Mediterranean for their friends and family. By some estimates, 6% of the population has fled the Eritrean dictatorship, and in order to secure onward travel to the safety of Europe, thousands of them have had to speak with smugglers.
“My client is not a smuggler at all,” Calantropo said. “He has been contacted by smugglers and he called them back to talk with his friend, who was about to leave from Libya. But this does not make him a smuggler. If an Eritrean wants to leave the country he can’t exactly go to an airport. They are forced to contact a smuggler.’’
Berhe’s family say he has neither been to Libya, where Mered’s business is said to have been based, nor speaks Arabic, a language needed to operate as a smuggler in Libya. They say he left Eritrea in October 2014, one of thousands of Eritreans to flee a government that the UN accused this year of committing crimes against humanity on its population. 2016-11-16 04:00 Patrick Kingsley www.theguardian.com
86 /100 0.0 Alex Nunns' new book is insightful – but can't settle the myth of Corbyn The Beauty and the Beast trailer is here, and it looks like a scene-for-scene remake of the cartoon One of the reasons why Jeremy Corbyn irritates people in Westminster is that he has risen to prominence without acquiring any of what used to be regarded as the qualities essential for success. Most leaders cultivate a solar system’s worth of orbiting journalists, who can be relied on to produce friendly columns and a supportive biography. What these writers, most of them true believers, sacrifice in insight, they gain in access: they might be regarded as slavish, but they were essential to understanding the working of the courts of David Cameron, Ed Miliband, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair.
For Corbyn – who, as Kitty Muggeridge once said of David Frost, “rose without trace” – the closest he had to a friendly journalist was Seumas Milne, now embedded at the heart of the Corbyn project as his director of communications, and therefore not available to write a sympathetic biography. So the studies of Corbyn thus far have been written by highly critical friends, at best.
Alex Nunns’s The Candidate is only the latest of a slew of books on Corbyn published this year. Rosa Prince’s Comrade Corbyn was more sympathetic to Corbynism than her tenure at the Telegraph might suggest – but she wrote it, nonetheless, from a Westminster perspective. Prince is part of the group that, as the BBC’s Mark Mardell once put it, covers politics “in a certain way, through a fairly narrow lens, and measure daily success and failure through a set of unwritten rules reached by instinct rather than reflection”. They make the mistake of seeing the Labour leader as a poor player of the parliamentary game rather than realising he is someone who altogether disdains it. This was the mistake that his Labour rivals made when they attempted to remove him this summer: as the shadow cabinet resignations mounted, his enemies congratulated themselves on their skill at chess, blissfully unaware that Corbyn was playing Scrabble.
If Rosa Prince struggled to understand Corbyn’s role outside Westminster, Richard Seymour’s Corbyn: the Strange Rebirth of Radical Politics attempted to clarify his role within it. Seymour’s book is the finest study of Corbyn yet written, but it comes from that section of the far left which wouldn’t, as the author puts it, “be seen dead in Labour”.
Though they disagree on much, Prince and Seymour believe that Corbynism is destined to fail: Prince because it neglects the rules of Westminster, Seymour because it is still shaped too strongly by the demands of winning power there. Accordingly, the best sections of Prince’s book are those that deal with the struggles of his opponents, and the liveliest passages in Seymour’s are those that detail the weaknesses of the Labour Party, whose strategies proved as “useful as a paper umbrella” and whose candidates were “as charismatic as lavatory dispensers”.
In The Candidate , Corbyn is at last given a wholly sympathetic hearing. Nunns is the political correspondent at Red Pepper. As far as the leader’s closest allies are concerned, Nunns’s book is the most authoritative yet published on his rise. Here, finally, is Jeremy Corbyn’s court biography.
The strengths and weaknesses of that approach are much as you would expect. As with Matthew d’Ancona, in In It Together , or Andrew Rawnsley, in The End of the Party , the best studies of the Cameron and Blair eras, respectively, Nunns knows his territory. But, as with the d’Ancona and Rawnsley books, a reader often wants him to stick the knife in – or at least apply a more critical eye. A writer more inclined to wield the knife, however, would have been unable to write this book. Nunns astutely grasps that Labour’s rise has to be understood through events not only in the party, but in the wider movement. He points out that the defeat of Ken Jackson, the last right-winger to lead the Amicus trade union, paved the way for the formation of Unite – and the assertive leadership of Len McCluskey.
The best sections take place in what you might call the prehistory of the Corbyn campaign: the early struggle to make the ballot, the formation of a campaign team, the core of which – Andrew Fisher, Simon Fletcher, Seb Corbyn and John McDonnell – remain essential to the success of the overall project. Nunns describes how Carmel Nolan, Corbyn’s press chief for his first campaign, was recruited in an interview that took place on a park bench – because, at the time, the campaign had no office.
Outside the confines of the Labour left the book is less surefooted. An early, and symptomatic, passage claims that Blair took a personal interest in parliamentary selections. Yet one of the causes of the present trajectory of the Labour Party is that Blair never invested much time or political capital in the generation that came after him. That was why the likes of Michael Dugher, the defeated Blairite choice to run in Doncaster North in 2005, assumed Brownite colours to fight and win later contests, and why most of those MPs elected in 2001 and 2005 endorsed Yvette Cooper, the heir to the mantle of not Blair, but Brown.
That lack of fluency around the animating issues of the Labour right makes The Candidate an imperfect read, though a reader who picked up both Nunns’s and Prince’s books could claim to be fairly well acquainted with every faction in the Labour Party. A book that did both, combining this with the prose and verve of Seymour’s, might finally settle the mystery of Corbyn.
Stephen Bush is NS special correspondent
The Candidate: Jeremy Corbyn’s Improbable Path to Power by Alex Nunns is published by OR Books (404pp, £15)
You might think that Disney’s tactic of producing live-action remakes of its animated classics would see the film studio attempt to do something different. Think again. From The Jungle Book to Cinderella , it seems that when Disney says remake it really means remake: with new films featuring the same songs, plot, dialogue and even cinematography.
It looks like the same goes for Beauty and the Beast. A new trailer, released today, gives us a taste of what we can expect from the big-budget movie – and it looks like more of the same, from the nostalgic opening music, to familiar lines (“Show me the girl”, “ Come into the light …”) and instantly recognisable visuals. Compare for yourself:
It’s a tale as old as time, and one you’ve certainly heard before.
2016-11-16 11:40 Amelia Tait www.newstatesman.com
87 /100 0.0 Moldova: Pro-Russia presidential candidate declares victory CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — A pro-Russia candidate has declared victory in Moldova’s presidential election, opening up a commanding lead in the former Soviet republic with nearly all the votes tallied.
Igor Dodon, who has promised to restore closer ties with Moscow and made comments in Russian immediately after the polls closed Sunday , had just over 54 percent of the votes, with more than 98 percent of the ballots tallied. His rival Maia Sandu, an ex-World Bank official who ran on an anti-corruption platform, had nearly 46 percent.
“Everyone understands that I have won,” he said later in Romanian just after midnight. He thanked Sandu for waging a “tough but good fight” and said he would be a president for all Moldovans.
Dodon tapped into popular anger over corruption under the pro-European government that came to power in 2009, particularly over the approximately $1 billion that went missing from Moldovan banks before the 2014 parliamentary elections.
As results came in, Dodon urged Moldovans to be calm.
“We don’t need destabilization and we don’t need confrontation, which somebody is trying to do,” he said, speaking in Russian after polls closed. “We’re all living in one country, in Moldova. The next president should find this balance.”
Dodon has pledged to restore trade and political relations with Moscow which cooled after Moldova signed a trade association agreement with the European Union. Russia punished Moldova by placing an embargo on imports of Moldovan fruit, wine and vegetables. He was able to appeal to many older Moldovans who are nostalgic for the former Soviet Union.
Sandu, a former education minister who heads the Action and Solidarity Party, said the former Soviet Republic would have a more prosperous future in the EU.
She needed a high turnout to stand a chance of winning. The final turnout was 53.3 percent, more than 4 percentage points higher than in the first-round of the election, but a discouraging result for Sandu.
Sandu called for the resignation of authorities organizing the vote and said the elections had been badly organized.
“Hundreds of people were not able to vote. Hundreds of citizens that traveled a long journey, that waited in the cold and rain and were not able to vote,” she said after polls closed. “Moldovan authorities didn’t respect the constitutional right of Moldovan citizens of Moldova to be able to vote.”
She said she would speak further on Monday.
In an unusual development, 9,000 people voted in the separatist pro-Russian region of Trans- Dniester, where residents usually do not vote in Moldovan elections.
Moldovans lined up for hours to vote in Paris, Milan, Dublin and the London borough of Stratford, where about 700 Moldovans were unable to cast ballots. Election authorities said ballots had run out in Stratford, Bucharest, Moscow and Bologna, Italy. One electoral official in the Moldovan capital Chisinau, Sergiu Gurduza, apologized that some people had not been able to vote.
Dodon, who nearly won the election outright in the first round two weeks ago, has also pledged to seek good relations with Moldova’s neighbors, Romania and Ukraine. But he has been criticized in Ukraine for saying Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, is Russian territory.
Many Moldovans believe they need the Russian market for their agricultural exports. About half of the 800,000 Moldovans working abroad live in Russia and send remittances home.
Moldova also depends on Russian gas, although not as much as before. There are plans to extend a pipeline to transport Romanian gas to Chisinau.
___
Alison Mutler in Bucharest, Romania, contributed to this report.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
2016-11-16 03:59 By Associated mynorthwest.com
88 /100 0.0 Faith Muthambi: No need to advertise Hlaudi's executive post Hlaudi Motsoeneng (Picture: City Press)
Cape Town – The SABC saw no need to advertise the position of group executive of corporate affairs as it was reserved for its former chief operating officer (COO), the beleaguered Hlaudi Motsoeneng, according to Communications Minister Faith Muthambi.
Responding to a parliamentary question posed by the Democratic Alliance’s Phumzile van Damme, she said Motsoeneng was “reinstated to the position he had occupied prior to his appointment as COO”.
In September this year, the Supreme Court of Appeal set aside Motsoeneng’s appointment as COO, but he was soon redeployed to his former position of corporate affairs executive. Bessie Tungwana, who had previously held the position of head of corporate affairs, was appointed as acting COO.
Muthambi and the public broadcaster have come under fire for summarily redeploying the controversial Motsoeneng to another high-ranking position at the SABC.
Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning and Monitoring Jeff Radebe earlier said at a media briefing that Motsoeneng’s reappointment smacked of disrespect for the rule of law.
At the time, Cabinet issued a stern warning to the SABC board to abide by the Supreme Court ruling and not “subvert” the court’s decision through “legally suspect interpretations”.
Meanwhile, two of the three remaining members of the SABC board stepped down on Tuesday. The resignations of Vuyo Mhlakaza and Aaron Tshidzumba mean chairperson Mbulaheni Maguvhe is the only non-executive member remaining.
During a parliamentary briefing in October, board members Krish Naidoo and Vusi Mavuso resigned and distanced themselves from the board’s decision to redeploy Motsoeneng.
Parliament established an ad hoc committee to investigate the SABC board's fitness to govern. African National Congress MP Vincent Smith was elected chairperson of the committee, which resolved to report back to Parliament on February 15 2017.
2016-11-16 03:54 2016-11 www.fin24.com
89 /100 0.0 Thiem keeps his Tour Finals semifinal hopes alive Thiem lost his opening group- stage match to Novak Djokovic, but the Tour Finals debutant could still make the last four after seeing off flamboyant Frenchman Monfils at London's O2 Arena.
The 23-year-old will need to beat Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic in his last group match tomorrow to reach the semifinals.
Monfils is certain to be eliminated after losing his first two matches.
"It was a very close match but luckily he helped me in the last game. Maybe I was the lucky one today," Thiem said. "I am very happy there's still a chance for me to reach the semifinals, but Milos Raonic is an amazing opponent.
"I can't wait to get back out here in this amazing arena. " Thiem is regarded as an emerging star after a breakthrough season and the Austrian had shown no signs of being intimidated by the Tour Finals stage when he took a set off defending champion Djokovic.
Thiem should garner plenty more backers if he continues to develop at his current rapid pace. Thiem was too powerful for the error-prone Monfils in the first set, securing the only break in the sixth game and using his thudding serve to stay ahead.
But, after seeming to be hampered by injury in the first set, Monfils suddenly found his rhythm in a one-sided second set, as Thiem lost his way.
Thiem folded against Djokovic, but he was far more focused in the final set against Monfils and clinched the win with a break in the ninth game after a string of double faults from the Frenchman.
2016-11-16 03:46 AFP www.timeslive.co.za
90 /100 0.0 Risk of genocide as Burundi heads for hell "Since April 2015, when large popular protests broke out against the decision by President Pierre Nkurunziza to seek a third term, Burundi has been in violent political crisis," the International Federation for Human Rights said.
"We must stop this descent into hell," said the organisation's president, Dimitris Christopoulos. "Let us act before it is too late. "
In a 200-page report the human rights group documented how state- sponsored violence and opposing rebel groups have perpetuated a cycle of violence.
"The crackdown by the security services and the [ruling party's youth wing] Imbonerakure . aims primarily at retaining power through any and all means," the report said.
More than 1000 people have died, between 300 and 800 are missing, about 8000 are being held for political reasons and more than 300,000 people have fled the country, says the report titled Repression and Genocidal Dynamics in Burundi.
The organisation, with leading Burundian rights group the Iteka League, spent 24 months investigating rights abuses in the country.
"All the criteria and conditions for perpetrating genocide are in place," the report says, listing "ideology, intent, security institutions . identifying populations to be eliminated".
Burundi suffered a brutal civil war from 1993 to 2006 between majority Hutus and minority Tutsis, which claimed about 300000 lives.
A failed coup in May 2015 was the "breaking point" after which the authorities adopted a "logic of systematic repression", the report says. After Nkurunziza's re-election in July 2015, the repression deepened, it says, citing targeted killings and massive arbitrary detentions. Ethnic Hutus in power "have sought to turn a political crisis into an ethnic one, equating 'opponents' and 'rebels' with Tutsis".
Anschaire Nikoyagize, the now-exiled president of Iteka League, said: "The crimes of the regime have become systematic. Crimes against humanity are occurring and there is a risk of genocide. "
Today Burundi has become increasingly isolated from the international community, notably by withdrawing from the International Criminal Court.
ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said she was considering a full investigation into allegations of murder, torture, rape and forced disappearances - in what Bujumbura described as a "plot to do harm to Burundi".
The International Federation for Human Rights labelled Burundi's decision to quit the court as "an admission of guilt" by Nkurunziza's regime.
Two other African countries, South Africa and the Gambia, have followed Burundi's lead and announced plans to withdraw from the court.
2016-11-16 03:43 AFP www.timeslive.co.za
91 /100 0.0 Park Bo-Gum Asia Fan Meeting: Actor’s Agency Confirms Tour Dates The countdown has begun for Park Bo-gum’s fan meetings across Asia.
Last week, Blossom Entertainment, the actor’s agency, announced that Park Bo-gum will be hosting fan meets in eight countries.
#ParkBoGum Asia Fan Meeting Tour in Malaysia will be held in KLCC Plenary Hall on 10th December 2016. The price range is from RM390- RM690. pic.twitter.com/Wr3gZGPzbY
— ☾이 영???? (@exonied) November 11, 2016
!! #ParkBogum 11 https://t.co/uHroL4Lpa7 #parkbogumfanmeetinginbkk pic.twitter.com/g1LMw6qC7Y
— TofuPopRadio (@TofuPopRadio) November 16, 2016
IME / IME #ParkBoGum #ParkBoGumFanMeetinginBKK pic.twitter.com/vm0yxIGzpg
— 멍멍이???? (@beaustory_) November 3, 2016
The actor said that he also enjoyed the local cuisine in the Philippines.
“The travel agency there booked Korean restaurants throughout the entire schedule. One day, Kwak Dong-yeon and I skipped the Korean dishes there, without telling anyone, and had local food,” he said. It remains to be seen if Blossom Entertainment will include the Philippines in the list.
“The upcoming fan meetings will be a special occasion for Park Bo-gum to hold proper meetings with his fans not only at home but also across Asia. They will be made up of various programs through which Park and his fans can talk and enjoy themselves,” announced Blossom Entertainment.
Blossom Entertainment says Park Bo-gum’s popularity has translated into more business.
“He’s firmly established himself as a lead actor through this drama. We’re getting more than three times as many requests as before for his appearance in dramas,”said Seung Byeong- wook, a senior official at Park’s management agency Blossom Entertainment.
Meanwhile, fans of Park Bo-gum are eager to see the next big project featuring their favorite star.
[Featured Image by Ahn Young-joon/AP Images]
2016-11-16 03:42 Caroline Diana www.inquisitr.com
92 /100 0.0 With no army or basic services, C. Africa leader eyes donors Though elected early this year, Central Africa's new president has no army to command or civil service to call on. He still fills in as a university maths lecturer due to lack of teaching staff.
But this week could offer Faustin- Archange Touadera a lifeline, as donors come together in Brussels to plot a future for a country strategically positioned at the heart of Africa, but ravaged by three years of intense inter-religious strife.
He hopes Thursday's donor conference generates a massive financial shot-in-the-arm for the around five million residents of one of the world's poorest nations. "We have come a long way and the country needs to be rebuilt," 59-year-old Touadera told AFP in an interview. "We're working in favour of peace but our situation remains extremely fragile. "
That will be the message that the academic will want to send to prospective donors including the European Union, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, France and the United States.
Despite the presence of a 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping force -- MINUSCA -- Touadera's Bangui-based government has failed to establish control over the entire country.
Efforts to disarm the pro-Muslim and pro-Christian militia groups responsible for thousands of deaths and the displacement of half a million people -- one in 10 Central Africans -- have failed, with bloodshed once again making a resurgence.
Recent weeks have seen fresh flare-ups of the militia violence that began with the 2013 ouster of Christian president Francois Bozize by a largely Muslim rebel group, triggering revenge attacks and a spiral of atrocities between the two communities.
- 'Regional stability is at stake' -
French troops who deployed in late 2013 amid fears of a sectarian bloodbath left earlier this month.
The plight of those displaced by the three-year conflict remains all too visible, with many still clustered in squalid conditions along the tarmac of Bangui's M'poko airport, despite the end of all-out fighting.
In the absence of a competent national security force, UN peacekeepers watch over security at the airport as well as at the presidential palace.
Touadera, who continues to teach at the university between meetings, will on Thursday set out his priorities to donors.
Disarmament, restructuring the armed forces, national reconciliation, the launch of a special warcrimes court and providing basic social needs will be top of his list.
Touadera said he hoped to secure pledges worth "$1.6 billion (1.5 billion euros) over three years and three billion over five years".
Touadera told AFP he had been asked to pledge to use the funds appropriately.
"Fighting corruption is a key element," he said.
But opposition leader Anicet-Georges Dologuele warned that it might prove difficult for the country "to absorb an enormous amount in five years. We will need a lot of professionalism".
France, the former colonial power, is maintaining a couple of hundred troops in the country because "regional stability is at stake" as Boko Haram jihadists shore up their bases in Nigeria and northern Cameroon, according to a French source who asked not to ne named.
The US too is maintaining around 100 special forces in eastern Central Africa near the border with South Sudan to ward off trouble from Ugandan rebels. 2016-11-16 03:40 www.digitaljournal.com
93 /100 0.0 ‘We’re happy with Faf‚ but AB is still the captain’: Zondi Du Plessis led South Africa to a 5-0 whitewash over Australia in their one- day series at home last month‚ and on Tuesday he engineered a 2-0 victory in the Test series here.
But selection convenor Linda Zondi made it clear on Wednesday that AB de Villiers‚ who is out with an elbow injury‚ remains South Africa’s first- choice as captain.
“We’re happy with Faf as our current stand-in‚” Zondi said. “(But) at the moment that’s our position - AB is still the captain.”
De Villiers is at home recovering from surgery and should be good to go early in December at the latest.
The first Test of South Africa’s home series against Sri Lanka starts at St George’s Park on December 26.
Quite how the selectors are going to fit even a player as gifted as De Villiers into a team that is performing above and beyond every expectation is a tall enough order.
But how they are going to justify taking the captaincy from Du Plessis‚ who is clearly more comfortable at the helm than either De Villiers or his predecessor‚ Hashim Amla‚ looms as almost unimaginable.
“We will cross that bridge when we get there‚” Zondi said.
“Faf has done a very good job. It was an easy process for us when the decision was made because he was already the T20 captain. So it was a continuation.
“We are excited to have him as a leader. It just gives us more options. And we have other guys - Hashim Amla also brings experience.”
Such issues are trivial compared to the deep hole Australia are in after South Africa inflicted their fifth consecutive Test loss at Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Tuesday.
But the captaincy question will soon be asked‚ and need to be answered.
2016-11-16 03:31 Telford Vice www.timeslive.co.za
94 /100 94 /100 0.0 AS IT HAPPENED: Panayiotou murder trial - court proceedings delayed The Huffington Post will launch their 17th digital edition in South Africa, with a mission to provide a platform for local voices and communities while also delivering the best of global and local news, politics, lifestyle, entertainment for South Africans, by South Africans. The new www.huffingtonpost.co.za will go live on 21 November 2016.
2016-11-16 03:23 www.news24.com
95 /100 0.0 DSWD, CHR oppose lowering age of criminal liability Non-government organizations, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) joined forces in opposing the proposal in Congress to lower the age of criminal liability to nine years old from the current 15.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday conducted its first hearing on the bills seeking to lower the age of criminal liability during the hearing by the justice subcommittee on correctional reforms.
READ: Alvarez seeks to lower age for minor offenders
Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo wrote a letter to the committee expressing her strong opposition to the move which she described as anti-poor and has never resulted in lowering crime incidence.
“There is a need to distinguish between making children responsible for their actions, and criminalizing them,” Taguiwalo said in her letter, read aloud by her representative Rosalie Dagulo.
Taguiwalo said the move “runs counter to available scientific knowledge about the cognitive, psychosocial, and neurological development of children.” She said the existing law Juvenile Justice Welfare Act which the bills seek to amend already present ways “to make children responsible, without making them criminals” as well as to “hold children accountable in entirely non-punitive, welfare-based, and education-oriented measures.”
“Lowering the minimum age of criminal liability violates the fundamental principles of social protection of children, as provided for by law, and by international treaties, and internationally- accepted standards and principles,” Taguiwalo said.
READ: UNICEF: Lowering criminal liability age harms kids’ well-being
In a letter to the committee, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Jose Luis Gascon said there is a need to address first the deficiencies in children reformation centers known as “Bahay Pag- asa” which are provided under the law.
These facilities have “structural deficiencies” which fail to provide a “therapeutic” environment for the juvenile delinquents, the CHR said.
“The Commission joins all civil society organizations and other child rights advocates in their fight against the move to lower the minimum age of criminal liability. May this also serve as a reminder that our legislators and the present administration to recognize the vital role of the youth in nation-building and the concurrent mandate of the State to protect and promote their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being,” the CHR said in the letter.
For her part, Tricia Clare Oco, executive director of the DSWD-attached agency Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council, said the move would not reform children in conflict with the law, but would only damage their childhood by treating them as criminals instead of victims.
“The proposal to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility will merely revert to the cruel situation of locking up many children in poor and subhuman facilities after they have been exploited and abused by syndicates, their parents and other adults further victimizing them,” Oco said.
READ: PH psychological association opposes lowering criminal liability age
Children’s Legal Rights and Development Center chairperson Rowena Legaspi said the involvement of children in syndicates is a manifestation of the failure of law enforcement to crack down on organized crime.
“The failure of the system to go after syndicates reflects the weakness of the law enforcers in implementing the law,” Legaspi said.
She lamented that children are being treated like criminals, instead of children who need to be taken care of.
“It is our position that these children should be taken care of; the main issues are the absence of their access to education, justice and health,” Legaspi said.
Kharlo Manano, secretary general of the Salinhali Alliance for Children’s Concerns, said the government should fulfill its role in taking care of the country’s youth instead of treating them as criminals. Manano said children in conflict with the law should be treated instead as victims of state neglect.
“We should regard children as victims of state neglect and abandonment from their right to survival and be protected, denied from them at one point of their lives. They have been failed by society that now wants to brand them as criminals,” Manano said.
Meanwhile, representatives from the Public Attorney’s Office and the National Bureau of Investigation told the lawmakers that they were only amenable to lowering the age of liability from 15 years old to 12.
READ: Alvarez files bill lowering age of criminal liability
In House Bill 2, authors Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Deputy Speaker Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro sought to revert the minimum age of criminal liability from the current 15 years old to as young as nine years old.
The House leaders’ bill entitled “Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility Act” seeks to amend the “Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006” or Republic Act 9344, which set the minimum age for criminal liability at 15 years old.
The authors said children are being used by criminals as accomplices in their crimes, particularly drug trafficking, because these minors could not be held criminally liable.
“While the intent of protection of the Filipino youth may be highly laudable, its effects have had the opposite effects – the pampering of youthful offenders who commit crimes knowing they can get away with it,” Castro and Alvarez said in their explanatory note.
The proposed bill however exempts from criminal liability those under nine years old at the time of the commission of an offense.
But they would be subjected to a government intervention program, the bill read. JE
2016-11-16 00:00 Marc Jayson newsinfo.inquirer.net
96 /100 0.0 Judge to mull latest request to delay Trump University trial SAN DIEGO (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday scheduled a hearing to consider President-elect Donald Trump’s request to delay a civil fraud trial involving his now-defunct Trump University until after his inauguration on Jan. 20.
Trump’s attorneys said in a court filing that preparations for the White House are “critical and all-consuming.” Six months ago, when they unsuccessfully sought a delay until after Inauguration Day, lead attorney Daniel Petrocelli said the period between the election and swearing-in is extremely hectic for a president-elect but that it was preferable to a trial during the campaign.
U. S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel will consider arguments Friday — 10 days before the trial is scheduled to begin. The class-action lawsuit by former customers alleges that Trump University misled them on its promise to teach success in real estate.
Curiel is eager to get the 6½-year-old case to trial and gave no sign that he was inclined to grant a delay during a hearing last week in which Petrocelli argued that demands of the transition justified putting it off until early next year.
“The task is momentous, exceedingly complex, and requires careful coordination involving the respective staffs and teams of both President (Barack) Obama and President-Elect Trump,” Trump’s attorneys wrote in a court filing on Saturday. “In fewer than three months, the President- Elect must be prepared to manage 15 executive departments, more than 100 federal agencies, 2 million civilian employees, and a budget of almost $4 trillion.”
Plaintiff attorneys oppose a delay, saying in a court filing on Monday that a lead plaintiff, Sonny Low, has medical issues and will be 75 years old when the trial begins.
“We do know that any delay would be a slippery slope because President-Elect Trump’s life is only going to get more complicated and unpredictable as time goes by,” they wrote.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
2016-11-16 03:12 By Associated mynorthwest.com
97 /100 0.0 PRESS DIGEST - Bulgaria - Nov 16 SOFIA, Nov 16 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. -- Tsetska Tsacheva, whose defeat in Bulgaria's presidential elections led to the resignation of the minority government, led by Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, will not resign as parliament speaker, she said (Trud, Standart, 24 Chasa) -- Ruling centre-right GERB party's representatives will meet President Rossen Plevneliev on Thursday. According to the constitution, when a prime minister hands in a resignation, the president must hand back the mandate to the largest party in parliament, then to the second largest and, if he so chooses, to one other group represented in parliament, if the previous two have returned the mandate unfulfilled (Standart, Monitor, Sega) -- Bulgaria will open a consulate in the Moldovian town of Taraklia, President Rosen Plevneliev said during his visit to Moldova (Standart, Monitor) -- Some 85 percent of Bulgarians own their own home, one of the highest figure in the European Union, EU's statistics office Eurostat's data showed. The average size of housing in Bulgaria is around 72 sq.m.
2016-11-16 03:09 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk
98 /100 0.0 Police warn of robberies in Douglas Police are warning residents of three recent robberies in the Douglas neighborhood on the South Side.
In each incident, The suspect walked up to a victim on the street or sidewalk, then demanded and stole property before running away, according to a community alert from Chicago Police. In one robbery, the suspect threatened to shoot the victim, but did not show a gun.
The robberies happened:
The robber is described as a 15-to-25- year-old black male, about 5-foot-8, weighing between 140 and 150 pounds, with brown eyes and a dark complexion, police said.
Anyone with information on the robberies is asked to contact Area Central detectives at (312) 747-8382.
2016-11-16 03:06 Sun-Times chicago.suntimes.com
99 /100 0.0 San Jose city council votes to raise minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2019 Thousands of the lowest paid workers in the South Bay will get a 50 percent pay raise. The San Jose city council approved a gradual minimum wage hike to $15 an hour by the year 2019. The current minimum wage is $10.30. On July 1 it will increase to $12 an hour.
2016-11-16 03:00 (Copyright abc7news.com
100 /100 0.0 Kerry arrives at climate negotiations overshadowed by Trump By Yeganeh Torbati MARRAKESH, Morocco, Nov 16 (Reuters) - U. S. Secretary of State John Kerry hoped his presence at a Marrakesh conference to decide the finer points of an historic climate agreement would be a victory lap, capping off a year of negotiations that resulted in global agreements to stave off the worst effects of climate change. Instead, he finds himself having to reassure delegates from almost 200 nations they can count on the United States to abide by the 2015 Paris agreement, despite U. S. President-elect Donald Trump's promise to withdraw the United States from the climate treaty. "The president-elect is going to have to make his decision," Kerry said on Tuesday to reporters. "What I will do is speak to the assembly about our efforts and what we're engaged in and why we're engaged in it, and our deep commitment as the American people to this effort. " He added: "I can't speak to the (next) administration, but I know the American people support this overwhelmingly. " Trump has called climate change a hoax, and said he would rip up the Paris deal, halt any U. S. taxpayer funds for U. N. global warming programs, and revive the U. S. coal sector. If he follows through on his promises, he would undo the legacy of President Barack Obama, who has made climate change one of his top domestic and foreign policy priorities and called the trends of rising temperatures and other fallout from climate change "terrifying. " A source on Trump's transition team said this week that he is seeking quick ways to withdraw the United States from the Paris agreement, which seeks to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The accord won enough backing to enter into force on Nov. 4, four days before the U. S. election, and the conference in Morocco started in part as a celebration of that landmark. UNCERTAINTY AFTER TRUMP Prior to Trump's election, the Obama administration had enjoyed momentum on the climate issue, with a deal in September in Montreal to limit carbon emissions from international flights, and another reached in Rwanda in October to cut back on greenhouse gases used in refrigerators and air conditioners. The United States worked closely with China last year to build support for the Paris agreement, and the partnership of the two biggest greenhouse gas emitters helped convince other countries to back the agreement. The agreement seeks to phase out net greenhouse gas emissions by the second half of the century and limit global warming to "well below" 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times. Trump's election raises the prospect of the United States not fulfilling its commitments, being sidelined in global climate policy and ceding the leadership role to China, and has raised doubts among delegates in Marrakesh about whether Washington will still be a partner in the agreement come mid-century. "It's really hard to see how the U. S. engages in that kind of dialogue," said Sarah Ladislaw, director of the Energy and National Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. It is still unclear exactly what Trump will do when it comes to climate policy. On other issues, he has made contradictory statements, making it hard to predict his final policy, and he has said that unpredictability is an asset in international negotiations. Trump denied during a debate with his rival Hillary Clinton that he had called climate change a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese, though he has said it repeatedly in speeches and on Twitter. France and the United Nations on Tuesday stepped up warnings to Trump about the risks of quitting the accord to combat climate change, saying a historic shift from fossil fuels is unstoppable. (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati; Editing by Yara Bayoumy and Lisa Shumaker)
2016-11-16 03:00 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk
Total 100 articles.
Items detected: 1181, scanned: 100, accumulated: 200, inserted: 100, empty media: 155, not matched limits: 208, skipped: {total: 981, by unique value: 187, by limits: 17, by similarity: 78, by unicity: 0, dates: 3, by classifier: 699, by blacklist: 0, by mandatory tag: 981}, bad dates: 2, similar from same domain: 267; tag `content_encoded` the same value found 2 times; tag `description` the same value found 20 times; tag `title` the same value found 252 times; the same images URLs found 64 times; total 17 languages detected: {u'fr': 6, u'en': 1252, u'nl': 7, u'pt': 1, u'no': 3, u'ca': 3, u'de': 13, u'tr': 1, u'it': 3, u'sv': 1, u'tl': 1, u'af': 1, u'so': 1, u'ro': 2, u'da': 2, u'id': 2, u'es': 3}
Created at 2016-11-16 12:07